Juvenile delinquency is a term commonly used to describe any criminal offenses committed by a person under the age of 18. There is no one single cause of juvenile delinquency. A number of different issues determine whether a minor chooses to commit a crime, and it's most often a delicate interplay of social, environmental, and hereditary factors. Below, a few of these factors are discussed in more detail.

Home Life

Troubled children tend to act out on the fears and frustrations they experience in their home lives. One of the biggest determining factors in juvenile delinquency is violence in the home. When a pattern of violence is established at home, whether a child is a direct victim or a witness to it, they pick up on the aggression being modeled and respond by lashing out in public. Violence begets violence, but it's important to note that a violent mindset isn't always manifested as open fighting or hostility; sometimes, it’s apathy and a disconnect from feelings, emotions, and consequences.

Peer Pressure

Another piece that plays a role in juvenile delinquency is the influence of peers. If a child is pressured by their social group to behave in a certain way, they will often feel the need to comply as a way of being accepted. Parents should always make an effort to know who their child's friends are—as well as their parents.

Schooling

Children who act out usually have some type of trouble at school. It could be an issue with just showing up to school on a regular basis or a learning problem or barrier that makes school difficult. When kids don't go to school, they are missing out on the structure that the environment provides. They are also missing the opportunities to learn decision-making, rational and critical thinking, and socially acceptable behaviors.

Juvenile delinquency is a difficult issue that requires complex solutions that take the needs of the whole child into account. One aspect of addressing such issues comes through the criminal justice system. If your child has encountered legal problems, let criminal defense lawyer James F. Bogen, Attorney at Law, help your family find solutions. For more than 10 years, he has been representing juvenile crimes and felony cases in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, and Warren counties in Ohio. Call (513) 503-7251 or visit him online to arrange a consultation today.