JUVENILE CRIMES
“Juvenile crimes: When growing pains take a criminal twist.”
By: Astha Jha
The figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) state that across the country, the rate of juvenile crime increases by almost 5% every year according to 2020–2021 records.
Juvenile crimes span a spectrum, encompassing minor thefts to grave offenses like gang rapes and murder. None of these happen overnight; the upbringing, relationships, environment, and unaddressed traumas collectively contribute to them.
At some juncture, we’ve all felt a mix of anger and concern in response to the escalating instances of teenage crime. We’ve fretted over our children’s safety at school and felt profound disappointment with the handling of these crimes.
However, have you ever contemplated that you might be a part of this and equally responsible for the growing juvenile delinquency?
Let’s start asking questions to ourselves!!
“Family: where values are nurtured, and memories are created”
Parents stretch their limits and make sacrifices to secure quality education for their children .Is school the sole responsibility ? Do report cards truly reflect the kind of individual your child is evolving into?
No, after all, learning begins at home.
All lessons in compassion and tolerance took a step back when the child overheard you shouting at your domestic help for a minor inconvenience. Whenever you denied your child the opportunity to play and study with a less privileged friend, they absorbed the concept of division. Nearly every child is impacted by ongoing family disputes and the insincere façade of showing respect to elders, leading them to lose interest in social interactions.
Concepts of equality and feminism lost their significance when the child witnessed their father yelling at and disrespecting their mother. Instead, they learned the essence of dominance and the feeling of helplessness and submission that can arise even when someone is in the wrong.
“Hear me out, Parents can be listeners too”
“Don’t cry over these small things, you will tackle bigger problems in life”
Rather than genuinely hearing about the challenges your child is encountering, we frequently end up MOTIVATING them by disregarding their minor difficulties.
Body shaming , fights and groupism is very common in school. In still self-assurance in them, stand by them and make sure to make the environment better and offer reassurance about their character and physique. The absence of this assurance leads them to believe that conforming to a certain image is synonymous with perfection.
Every statement you offer your child under the guise of ‘convincing’ or ‘teaching them a lesson’ should be carefully balanced to delineate the subtle line between instructing and emotionally overloading .It will force them to stop confiding in you ,eroding self-love and confidence, and instilling doubt in their capabilities.
“Teachers: shaping young minds with care and inspiration”
Highlighting their weaknesses in front of the entire class, causing them embarrassment, and ultimately planting a lifelong fear of judgment won’t actually aid their ‘improvement,’ as we often assume.
We’ve witnessed certain extreme scenarios where teachers cross the line from merely pointing things out to mentally humiliating students through insensitive jokes. The most distressing experience for a child is to be laughed at without anyone showing empathy, all in front of a crowd of peers their own age
“Too early to understand and late enough to speak?”
60% cases of sexual harassment fall under the category where below 18 years age group is victim. Bullying and ragging is the most common in teenagers. These are just the reported cases or rather ‘extreme’ cases of exploitation. There are lacs of unnoticed cases of harassment which were submerged inside the family or maybe it never even reached them.
We educate our children on bad touch and good touch. Asked our daughters to return before it’s dark, stay away from strangers, specifically men and refrain from going out alone .
But amidst all this , you forgot to allow them a safe space where they can come and share their smallest discomfort. We asked them to protect themselves ,restricted them, warned them against drugs and addictions but have you ever assured them support ?
When they actually start to understand what’s wrong with them and find their lives at risk ,it’s often too late to speak up or pull them back from that phase of life. If you are strong enough , you overcome and move on with life with time but what about who doesn’t. They end up never embracing good things in life and turn into a person they never were ‘criminals’, sharing their part of trauma to an innocent who was not responsible for it.
“Friends: weaving laughter and chuckles.”
Each time you stood by your friends as they bullied or character assassinated someone in the guise of fun, you unknowingly contributed to someone’s mounting inner frustrations and insecurities.
Supporting friends in moments of fun and laughter is a cherished part of friendship. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that sometimes, youthful exuberance and a desire for adventure can lead to impulsive decisions. It’s crucial to strike a balance between creating enjoyable experiences and making responsible choices.
Rectify your friends’ actions or take a step back yourself before it’s too late, preventing the shift from innocent fun to criminal involvement. There might come a point where there’s no way back, not even for regret .
“Where poverty lingers, juvenile crimes cast their shadows, one does anything to survive ”
Poverty casts a long and formidable shadow over the lives of young individuals, often steering them towards the unfortunate path of juvenile crime. The lack of access to basic resources and opportunities can cultivate a sense of hopelessness and frustration, pushing vulnerable youth to seek alternatives for survival and validation.
“Hormones don’t overpower consent; harassment remains a choice”
Young boys justifying their act of harassment in the name of their ‘feelings’ is the most cowardly thing to do. And when the influence is even huge we see many juveniles getting engaged in gang rapes .
We are the people who demand severe punishment for juveniles and not spare them just because they are under age .But this holds true only when its on the news, when it comes to ourselves we tend to contradict our own statements and end up signifying hypocrisy .As a family and friend if you have ever supported them in name of ‘understanding’ their moves and forgiving , we as a society are equally a part of crime giving thousands of others the confidence of support.
Above cases are just small instances , how can it lead to juvenile crime?
These small instances start playing a huge role in someone ’s personality. Not expressing themselves can lead to frustration, anger, and helplessness. Kids either become distant from society or turn rebellious, seeking relief through violence.
In pursuit of solace, teenagers often turn to addiction and illegal activities to momentarily escape their traumas.
Lack of communication and mishandled situations can end them up taking their own lives or spoiling someone else’s.
“providing education and financial aid is not enough for their future,
gentleness and love are equally important for them to nurture ,
As a society , when we realize our responsibilities and share ,
will be in true sense ‘JUVENILE CARE’.”
