NCJ Number
124818
Date Published
1986
Length
106 pages
Annotation
Juvenile crime and delinquency continue to be serious problems all over the world.
Abstract
The intensity and gravity of juvenile crime and delinquency naturally differ from one country and region to another. Young males are more represented than young females in most officially recorded offenses, however, there is a considerable "dark figure" for female criminality. There is evidence of an apparent worldwide increase in youth criminal violence, especially in marginal sectors of the urban environment. There are a number of specific social and economic determinants of youth criminality and squaring with these poses serious challenges to systems of education, social services, and juvenile justice. The family is an irreplaceable environment for harmonious development of the child, and when it faces crisis or disintegrates, it cannot safeguard the wellbeing of the child. Drug abuse is an equally serious problem, and young people continue to be over-represented in the total number of drug addicts around the world. The consequences of drug abuse affecting young people include general impairment of physical health and the spread of crime, including violent crime, prostitution, and even homicide. There is a need for a sharper international policy focus on youth drug abuse, drug trafficking, and drug-related crime. 56 notes.