This portrays Juvenile Delinquency as a social issue in Jamaica

1. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
GroupMembers:
KesianBennett
JaphiaBeckford
RushardBlake
CrissiaGraham
AstleyJames
SamanthaHewitt
ArianaMason
ChadworthTucker
AnnikaCarr

2. CAD NEWS

3. TOP STORIES
What is Juvenile Delinquency and how is it a social issue in Jamaica?
How is Juvenile Delinquency recognized in the teaching/learning
environment?
The existing measures tackling the issue
Implications of Juvenile Delinquency for teachers and students in
Jamaica
Relevant suggestions to combat this social issue in our country.

4. BREAKING NEWS

5. DEFINITION JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
According to Psychology Dictionary Juvenile Delinquency is
illegal behaviour by a minor that would be considered criminal
against the state (vandalism, petty theft, auto theft, arson, rape
etc) (2000).

6. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AS A SOCIAL ISSUE
 Social Issue/ problem-Social problems are societal induced conditions that
harms any segment of the population. Social problems are also related to
acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society.
(Oxford Pocket Dictionary 2007)
 Juvenile Delinquency is a social issue because it is an issue that affects
the society. It affects the government, community members and the
economy.

7. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AS A SOCIAL ISSUE CONT’
It puts a strain on our government and economy because business
owners suffer huge losses and the government has to fund
facilities in order to promote the rehabilitation of juveniles.

8. HOW JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CAN BE RECOGNIZED IN THE
TEACHING/LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
In 2006 the Gleaner published an article entitledAddressing
Juvenile Delinquency. It highlighted the wounding of two teachers
at St. Thomas Technical High and Knowklva Technical High in
Hanover.

9. PICTURES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE
LEARNING/TEACHING ENVIRONMENT

10. STATISTICS FROM A WEST INDIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2011)
A fifth of 15-19-year olds reported involvement in violence in the last
twelve months with males reporting a higher frequency than females.
Similar findings were reported in the Jamaica Youth Risk and Resiliency
survey (2005), a school based survey, among a nationally representative
sample of 10-15-year olds . Twenty-two per cent of male adolescents, 10-18
years, reported carrying weapons and seventeen per cent were involved in a
gang .
Crime statistics (1999) recorded that 13-19-year olds accounted for 24.2%
of persons arrested for murders, shootings, rape and carnal abuse . Despite
these daunting figures, it is important to note that the majority of
adolescents do not get involved in crime or violent behaviour.

11. STATISTICS FROM A WEST INDIAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2011) CONT’
 In 2002, adolescent males accounted for 22% of total visits and 24% of injury visits to
the accident and emergency (A&E) departments of all government hospitals. As
adolescent males make up 10% of the total population, they are disproportionately
affected by violence. Children and young people, 15-24 years, make up 40% of
murder victims according to the national crime statistics.
 In addition, the Caribbean Youth Survey reported that one out of every thirteen
students has been knocked unconscious at least once from a fight or other violent act.
Even where they are not direct victims of crime, many adolescents are affected. Over
30% of adolescents reported concern about fighting or violence issues at home while
50% worry about violence in their communities. Dealing in and using drugs
contribute significantly to crime and some adolescents are very aware of the violence
from drug deals going bad or from the protection of "turf" in their community and
school.

12. MEDIA SOURCES
In 2010 The Gleaner published an article entitled Juvenile Crime
spurs call for Western rehab center. Members of the JCF reported on
the number of cases of violence and criminal activities involving
teenage boys and girls. Homocides in the islands were nearing 1200
for that year alone with adolescents being the prominent
perpetrators!

13. MEDIA SOURCES CONT’
 In January 2014 the Gleaner published an article entitled Prison Schools? Oh
come on! According to the JCF Reach, Planning & Legal Services Branch (RPLSB)
74% of inmates in Jamaica had attended non-traditional high schools. The
education Minister Ronald Thwaites stated that “criminals are not born they are
bred, and it is not the schools that have been churning at the bulk of misfits who
have added up in the country’s prisons. The schools do not create criminals by
themselves!”

14. FORMS OF DELINQUENCY
 According to Bura (2007), there are four forms of delinquency:
 Individual- one person is involved in the acts and this is said to be a result of psychological problems.
 Group Supported- the acts are committed in companionship with others who are already delinquent.
 Organized- formally organized groups governed by values and norms that govern behaviour.
 Situational- deeply rooted, no deep commitments are involved, since the juvenile has little to lose if they get
caught. This is as a result of family restraints.

15. EXISTING MEASURES THAT ADDRESS JUVENILE
DELINQUENCY
 The ministry of Justice received funding from the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under the Child Protection Programme to
update the national plan of action for child justice (established in 2006).
 The article also reported that children brought before a court will no
longer be sent to correctional facilities, instead they will be sent to
participate in diversionary programmes to facilitate their rehabilitation.
(The Daily Gleaner 2010)

16. EXISTING MEASURES THAT ADDRESS JUVENILE
DELINQUENCY
 This is aligned with the UN Rules for Protection of Juveniles
Deprived of their liberty which was adopted by the General
Assembly Dec. 14. 1990.
 Additionally, training sessions have been conducted in order to
facilitate in educating judges, prosecutors, clerks of court,
children’s officers etc in the area of child rights and responsibilities
and international protocol.
(The Gleaner 2010)

17. IMPLICATIONS ON TEACHERS
Emotional implication- The teacher my feel threaten by students
because of their social background. Teachers may also feel
discouraged to teach the class or even have emotional breakdowns;
however, Teachers will have to be firm, brave and vigilant in
handling their students.

18. IMPLICATIONS ON TEACHERS CONT’
 Professional implication- Teachers may feel frustrated and start conducting themselves
in unprofessional ways (shouting at the students, cursing, hitting).
 Teachers may also be reluctant to go to class and will start to consider changing careers.
Teachers will have to be determined to work with their students and build their self-
motivation in an effort to remind themselves that they should remain professional at all
times.
 Additionally, teachers may have to help their students seek counseling and proper
guidance. In an effort to help delinquent students, teachers will need to call in parents
or guardians to discover the root cause of delinquency and how best to approach the
issue.

19. IMPLICATIONS ON STUDENTS
 School attrition- students will feel discouraged to attend classes. They may start
skipping classes and eventually stop attending school. Students will have to seek
counselling and motivation and assist the teachers in putting a stop to
delinquency in the classroom.
 Bullying- Students in the class may be bullied by delinquent students. Some may
even be pressured to join the other delinquents. Students need to be firm and
stand up for themselves and stop letting others take advantage of them.

20. RELEVANT SUGGESTIONS
The implementation of Safe School officers
Effective PTA’s
Conducting workshops and seminars with students, parents
and guidance counsellors.

21. REFERENCES
 American Psychology Association. (2000). Juvenile Delinquency . Retrieved March
22, 2014, from Society Website:
http://www.apa.org/topics/juveniledelinqency/index.aspx
 Bura, R. (2007). What are the four main types of juvenile delinquency. Retrieved
March 26, 2014, from Society Website: www.preservearticles.com
 National Plan of Action for Child Justice. (2011). PDF.
 Oxford Pocket School Dictionary. (2007). Oxford University press
 The Daily Gleaner. (2006). Addressing juvenile delinquency. Print.
 The Daily Gleaner. (2010). Government gets funding for juvenile-rehab drive. Print.
 The Daily Gleaner. (2010). Juvenile crime spurs call for western rehab centre. Print.

22. REFERENCES CONT’
 The Sunday Gleaner. (2007). Inner city youths exposed to violence more delinquent.
Retrieved March 26, 2014, from: http://jamaica-
gleaner.com/gleaner/20071028/news/
 The Daily Gleaner. (2014). Prison Schools? Oh come on! Print.
 West Indian Medical Journal. (2011). Vol.60 no.2 Mona. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from:
http://caribbean.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&p