A Study on Factors Underlying Juvenile Delinquency and Positive Youth Development Programs

Abstract

This study was aimed at understanding the causes behind juvenile delinquency, and the measures that are being taken for the positive development of the children in conflict with law. The influence of the media on the psychosocial development of children is profound. With advent of communication technology in recent times, a child’s exposure to media including television, radio, music, video games and the Internet, has increased manifold. Therefore, it was planned to study whether the impact of recent changes in the society on juvenile delinquency is significant. The socio-economic profile, factors behind the delinquency, the rehabilitative mechanisms and its effectiveness were analyzed by using the primary data collected by interviewing 50 inmates of the Government Observation Home of Rourkela Sub Jail, Odisha. Out of these 50 cases of delinquency, 5 cases of offence were also analyzed in detail using case study method. The data was collected by using the structured questionnaire and interview. The results indicated that the offences made by the delinquents were primarily due to the combination of various individual and environmental variables, viz. individual risk factors of the delinquents, negligence and ignorance of the parents, peer influence, poor socio-economic status, family pressure and lack of proper socialization. Direct impact of media was not pronounced in the findings of the study, excepting a few cases of theft. Overall, the perception regarding fairness of justice, both before and after the offence, was reported to be positive by the respondents. The results also indicated that owing to lack of funds and resources, the positive development measures for the juveniles were conspicuous by their absence. Findings were interpreted in the light of current conceptualizations in the area of the study and their implications for future were pointed out.