Why Do Youths Commit Crime?

Over the last few years, there has been an alarming increase in the levels of teen crimes. Teens involved in crimes has been an issue and the problem is still upholding. The real question is why are teens engaging in crimes? Furthermore, what is really the problem? Studies show that teenagers have been engaging in crimes due to lack of family involvement, financial hardship , and substance abuse and peer pressure.

Teens become violent when they are facing disturbance inside the family.

Family involvement plays a great role in a teenagers life from the father's absence to physical, emotional and mental needs. According to an article I read, parents should teach their kids the difference between right and wrong behavior. With a teen lacking family involvement it results in the child engaging in criminal activities.

The absence of the fathers influence in ones' life results in tendencies in committing a crime,it began to cause extra stress on the other parent. For example, if the mom works all day everyday she doesn't have time to cover all the needs of her child emotionally and physically.

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In her absence the child will tend to spend time with someone who is actually there for them and pay attention to everything that they do.

Most of the time they fall into the hands of the wrong person or "bad company" while trying to seek the attention they need from somebody off the streets rather than their parents. Without the parents "together" working as one team, the child will have challenges learning the combination of togetherness.

If the child doesn't learn this at home then what? As a result,the child wouldn't care about the feelings or how it feels to be together. Neglectful parents also known as "uninvolved parents" they don't have any whereabouts on what their child is doing or knowing the child needs.

The child will began to feel empty and engaging in criminal offenses will be there only escape. In the world that will live in teenagers turn to criminal activities rather than asking for guidance or help. Everything starts at home if a child is not learning the rules and regulations at home then the real world is going to be a major setback.

They will go about breaking rules and not knowing the consequences that they will have to face in the long run.All in all, there are many aspects in the family structure which can lead to youth crime, such as family clash, parents' low income, ignorance of parents, lack of communication, family breakup, family violence, and so on.

Bad living conditions will make a teen not want to be at home. Which will leave the teen no other choice but to engage in the streets and hang around "bad company". According to a quote I saw, "It's not the teenage brain, it's poverty that makes them crime rates rise". Living in poverty effects teens emotionally. As a result, it's causes them to act out without thinking. It is only when the relief of stress outweighs the risk of being caught.

For example, when poverty leads to stress crime offers a way in which improvised people can acquire more goods. Most teenagers will turn to the wrong path to improve their financial status. Lack of money causes a teen to feel as if they are below everyone else.

If a teenager doesn't have it all at home they will begin to steal or sell drugs to make their self feel better. In order for them to get money quickly they began to do things they are not illegal. Mentally, poverty controls ones thoughts and makes them lose faith.

The mind will not let him think of ways to get money in a legal way. Of course, they will turn to something that is much easier to get money. As a result teens will commit crimes. It seems if poverty controls the brain.

When someone goes without something because they don't have the money to get it they will do any and everything in their power to receive it. We as young teenagers don't think of the consequences nor the outcome of a situation before we do it. We are only stuck in the moment of getting something when we want. That's exactly where we all mess up.

Peer pressure is also one of the major factors to why teens commit crimes. Most teenagers get caught up in hanging around "bad company". In this generation that we live in today we think that we have to "fit in" and be just like everyone else or we would be classified as "not normal" or "scary". We think we have to live up to other people's standards in order to be liked or judge in a good way.

For example, if your hanging out with friends and they are drinking, smoking, or stealing and they ask you can you join, your first thought would be "what should I say" and you instantly say no. Then your friends began to call you lame, scary, or fake, and feel down on yourself so in order for you to feel better and feel as if your "fitting in" then you will change your mind and say yes to whatever criminal activity they are engaging in.

Peer pressure is something that we all experience. We allow our friends to make our decision rather than making our own. When you feel as if your being left out or not apart of the group you will do what it takes to get there. I read a story online about a 15 year old girl named Jane.

She had visited her friend Susan house. She had noticed that Susan has many makeup supplies that aren't open and Susan told her that she steals it from the stores. She then encourages Jane to do the same. The two girls head to the mall and Janes tells Susan that she has never engaged in activities like these but Susan keeps pressuring her into stealing and says if she doesn't then they will no longer be friends.

Jane lets Susan's statement over power he better decision. She listens to Susan and gets caught by a security guard and he asked her to empty out her pockets and Susan leaves Jane there to answer for herself. Your "friends" will pressure you to engage in crimes but once your caught your own your own. Don't get caught up in being peer pressured, walk away because most of the time the outcome will be worse.

Be your own judge and make your own decision, don't engage in criminal offenses just because your friends tell you to. Who cares? If they think your scary or not real. If they don't like your decision then they was never your friend. Real friends encourage one another to do better and make stronger decisions. Surround yourself around people who motivates you and not pressure you to engage in the wrong things.

Substance abuse also plays a role in teenagers crime. Young people who constantly abuse substances often experiences many problems. For example, drinking alcohol can lead to poor decisions making. It overpowers a person ability to have better judgement about any situation. Drugs has made teenagers commit drug selling,serious assaults, burglary, and robbery.When a teen is taking in drugs and drinking the brain changes.

They will no longer think like an average person when the drugs are active and just put into their system. With substance abuse you can no longer speak for yourself the drugs will takeover. They will not be in the right state of mind to do anything. Most crimes are committed under the influence of substance abuse.

Furthermore, when teens are going through hard times at home or better yet depression, drugs are their only way of escape. They feel as if doing drugs are their only way of escape, as if doing drugs will make their mind at peace. Which it is only the beginning to bad nightmare.

Why do drugs when you can just get help? Drugs abuse only makes the situation worse and you will end up facing criminal charges in the end. In contrast, most think that abusing drugs is not a criminal offense, but in reality it is.

It becomes a crime when a person persistently abuse substances to get a natural high or "drink away" the pain hoping that all of their problems will just fade away. They begin to take them every time they are going through something and that leads to addiction. As a result, the teen will continue abusing drugs and they will began to commit more crimes.

In conclusion,the crime rates have been increasing due to these four causes. Improvements in all visible areas should be focused on by crime prevention. Each one of these factors should be taken into deep consideration and we should take everything more seriously.

Teenagers, if you ever need a place of escape seek help. Talk with your family or a loved one. Don't get so caught up in "bad company" surround yourself around people who want to see you do and be better. Always remember there is money out her somewhere rather than engaging in criminal activities. It will get you nowhere but in a orange jumpsuit and behind bars..

We need to explain to our children why a crime is a crime. Don't just tell them it's bad just so they wouldn't do it. Tell them the consequences and outcomes that they will have to face in the long run. Children learn from what their parents tell. Tell them what's right from wrong but in the processing of doing so make sure your a shoulder to lean on for them, because if not they will end up doing what they want and ending up back where they started.