Delinquency and Victimization

Prevalence of Delinquency and Victimization

Official reports of delinquency indicate that juveniles accounted for 380,000 Part I arrests and Delinquency and [Page 189]1.2 million Part II arrests of the overall 14 million arrests made in 2005. Although these rates are alarming, it is also important to note that reports indicate that delinquency rates have been declining over the past few years. With regard to victimization and the estimated 23 million criminal incidents that occur yearly, national survey data indicate that youth are more likely than adults to be victims of crime in the United States; this further subjects youth to the critical and long-term consequences of victimization, such as emotional, physical, and mental trauma. Moreover, the results from recent victimization surveys have noted that victimization is not random but is a function of personal and ecological factors.

Although delinquency rates are declining overall, there has been a recent increase in violent crime arrests among juveniles. In 2005 scholars noted that murder rates among juveniles increased by 20% and robbery charges increased by 11.5%. Thus criminologists have focused research on exploring and identifying factors that have shaped these recent changes and trends in delinquency rates.

Recent Studies Examining Juvenile Delinquency

A recent study declared that delinquency among adolescents and young adults can be predicted mainly from early peer relations, more specifically from not getting along with others. Furthermore, the need to belong is a great hunger and thirst for the female adolescent, yet she may not be socially accepted because of belonging to a discriminated racial group, because of inner problems, or because of difficult family relationships. Friendship groups for females are normally closed, or the requirements are so great she can't handle them, leading her to eventually give up on making friends. In a case study on male and female offense repeaters, it was found that more female than male offenders quarreled with their peers and were “lone wolves.” From this study it was concluded that female adolescents possess delinquent behavior as a result of being “isolates and misfits,” as well as possessing the tendency of getting lost in the crowd.

In another study, higher levels of peer rejection were found to be associated with delinquent behavior and psychological problems. It was suggested that lacking close friendships during childhood leads to high levels of problem behaviors later in life. Social rejection was viewed as a cause of antisocial outcomes. Acceptance into peer groups provides children with the chance to grow physically, mentally, and socially with people of similar age. However, if children are rejected and deprived of physical, mental, and social growth, this may lead to feelings of anger and resentment, which may further lead to aggression and delinquency during their adolescence.

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