Teenage crime Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teenage crime - Research Paper Example ams and support especially for children in poverty stricken regions, employment and educational opportunities for youth, recreational activities and correction programs which will prevent them from engaging in further criminal activities. The changing lifestyle and social relations is having a dramatic effect on the young children and especially those who are in the transition phase from childhood to adolescence. Teenagers in the present day world are left to deal with changing family structures, stress of education and career choices and peer pressure in addition to effect of poverty and social status of their families. This changing environment has been a major contributing factor in the rising youth crime rates around the world. Children, especially teenagers, who are exposed to poverty, disintegrated family structures and peer and social pressures are more prone to commit crime at a young age (Juvenile Delinquency). In addition studies have also linked juvenile crime to substance abuse and constant use of drugs is also connected with re-offending resulting in a drug-crime cycle (Hodgdon). Substance abuse by teenagers is a growing social malady in the United States. Despite bans on the use of illicit drugs by teen agers, the percentage of adolescents using these substances since the 1990s is steadily rising (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services; Juvenile Delinquency and Substance Abuse). Many studies have also shown that drug trafficking involving youth is associated with violent criminal activities. Thus both the consumption of drugs and its trafficking involve violent and criminal activities; with juveniles hailing from lower socioeconomic backgrounds being targeted in a majority of the cases. In many cases teenagers addicted to drugs engage in violent or criminal activities in order to get money to support their substance addiction (Juvenile Delinquency; Juvenile Delinquency and Substance Abuse). Various measures are being undertaken by several