DELINQUENCY is defined as "a problem behavior especially by the young, that is against the basic principles of society or harmful to society (antisocial) or is in violation of the law". In the Philippines this is known as CICL (children in conflict with the law).
There is a reported significant increase in CICL cases in Southern Mindanao (Region 11) during the first semester of 2007. From 568 cases in 2004 to 886 cases in 2007. Most of these crimes are committed by children less than 15 years of age. They include: theft, vagrancy, solvent, sniffing, rape, physical injuries, etc. More than 60% of CICL cases in Southern Mindanao were committed in Davao City (Phil. Star, August 3, 2007).
Adolescent problem behaviors are divided into serious or less serious. Others categorized them into victimless or victim related problem behaviors. Persons most likely to be victimized are also children. Sometimes problem behaviors are grouped into violent (assault, vandalism, mugging, rape) or non-violent (theft, lying, excessive drinking, drugs).
Delinquency evolves early, from stubbornness, lying or stealing, at ages 9-10, to minor aggression and property damage about ages 11-12 years. Shortly thereafter, more serious offences are committed such as fighting or assault and chronic resistance to authority.
Most problem behaviors committed by male or female adolescents are not violent. Most are crimes against property (house, store, cars). However, there is reported steady increase in violent crimes. It is predicted that juvenile violent crimes will increase more than fifty per cent by the year 2010.
In the US juveniles commit 10 percent of all murders, 18 percent of all robberies, 12 percent of all aggravated assaults, 12 percent of all rapes and 58 percent of all arsons. When burglary, larceny and motor vehicle thefts are added, almost half of all serious crimes in the US are committed by persons less than 18 years of age.
There is no single cause of delinquency and violence. It is multi-factorial. Most from a variety of social and psychological risk factors such as community disorganization, lack of community resources, easy availability of drugs and firearms, persistent poverty, poor parental monitoring, inconsistent disciplinary practices and maltreatment or abuse.
These risk factors may interplay simultaneously complementing each other influencing the child to delinquency and violence. Delinquency represents a failure in the socialization process where the family is unable to set and enforce appropriate rules for the child to follow. Rules are mostly inadequate and inconsistent. Sometimes parents themselves undermine each other to discipline the child. As a result, the child is unable to learn how to control his impulse, often avoids responsibility for his actions and believes that he will be able to get away with anything.
Males perpetuate crimes 6-13 times more than females. Boys are reported to be more aggressive than girls. Several factors contribute to aggression. Large children are often more aggressive than smaller children. Difficult temperament contributes to aggression. Children from larger families are often more aggressive than those from smaller families.
Aggressive behavior in boys is mostly carried through adolescence. A boy with early aggressive behavior at age 3 years has a probability of carrying this behavior to adolescence. However, not all boys with aggressive behavior continue this behavior to adolescence and adulthood. Children viewing violent programs on TV, parental anger and harsh punishments may contribute to child's aggressive behavior.
Violence occurs when aggressive action is intended to harm others such as slapping, grabbing, kicking, pushing or hitting with bare hands or with an object. Weapons commonly used are blades, iron bars, lead pipes, and guns. Most often the result is serious physical injuries or death. Homicide (mostly by firearms) is one of the leading causes of deaths in adolescents. Surveys have shown that 25-40 percent of adolescents were involved in fights. Injuries from fighting were high, some requiring medical attention. About 20 percent of people arrested for violent crimes are juveniles.
Other problems associated with delinquent behaviors that are non-aggressive are academic failure, substance abuse, truancy and running away.
Adolescents run away from home as a result from physical or sexual abuse by parents and parental figures. Running away is a sign, a cry for help. The adolescent saying, "I can't deal with my problems anymore." The child must have tried to communicate or negotiated with parents his/her problems, but the respond must have been critical, emotionally jarring or have received physical abuse as punishment. The child feeling unsupported, lonely with the sense of helplessness runs away.
Most run away episodes are short-lived from few days to several weeks. Usually the adolescent stays with friends or relative they trust. (To be continued)
