JUVENILE- as defined by Merriam webster as children or young people or a

child who has not reached the age specified by the law.
- came from Latin word “IUVENILIS” which means young, youthful or “iuvenis”
which means young man or belonging to youth, youthful

DELINQUENCY- as defined by Cambridge dictionary is a behavior, especially

when exhibited by a young individual, unlawful or unpopular behavior.
- came from Latin word “DELINQUENTUM” which means to fail; do wrong,
offend

DELINQUENT PERSON- is any person regardless of age, who has a potentially

criminal attitude towards others, the community or legitimate authorities.

THEORIES OF DELINQUENCY

1. DEMONOLOGICAL THEORY- it was developed in the Middle Ages and the

oldest viewpoint or theory. It was founded on the prehistoric concept that all
things and people are directed by spirits.

- it advocated the idea that people who commit crimes while their bodies
are possessed by evil spirits should not be held accountable for their deeds.

2. CLASSICAL THEORY- proposed by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy

Bentham

-it advocated the concept that people choose criminality in the same
way they choose conformity, and that young people commit crimes
because they believe that they may achieve more good through conformity
(compliance). People are hedonistic (pleasure seeker or fun loving) by nature.

Classicists believed that delinquents and criminals should be punished for

the following reason:

A. General Deterrence: punishing criminals and delinquents will instill

dread (fear) in the minds of bystanders, reducing their propensity to engage in
criminal or delinquent behavior.

B. Specific Deterrence Punishment- will instill dread in the hearts of

wrong doers, reducing their likelihood of offending people again.

C. Incapacitation- is the most basic kind of jurisdiction; wrongdoers

should be imprisoned because while they are housed in the facility they are
unable to harm others outside of it.

D. Retribution- is a defense against the notion that punishing criminals

will have an positive or constructive effects.

3. POSITIVE or ITALIAN THEORY

-created by Raffaele Garofalo, Enrico Ferri and Cesare Lombroso
-it advocate Determinism means every action has a cause
- the scientific method according to positivist might be used to determine
the root cause of juvenile misbehavior . The particular offender maybe treated or
rehabilitated after the reasons were identified
- positive theory attributes biological, psychological and social causes of
criminality

4. CRITICAL THEORY- is seen by critical criminologists and sociologists as a

by-product of current social structures wherein the exploration and clarification of
the nature of juvenile delinquency is guided by the notions (desire) of power,
influence, inequality and conflict.
- criminal conduct may therefore represent the consensual reality held by
strong individuals, since powerful people intentionally or subconsciously
construct laws that benefit their lifestyle. On the other hand, those who lack
power have extremely limited possibilities to voice their social and political
opinions. Thus they seek to perform major activities that powerful people view as
a crime or delinquent behavior in order to protest or indicate unhappiness with
the policies imposed by strong people.

II. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES

- criminal conduct is caused by biological or genetic abnormality in the
person.
A. Lombrosian Theory - it was developed by Dr Cesare Lombroso
(Father of Criminology) who is credited with founding the modern criminology and
served as prison doctor in Turin, Italy.
-suggests that criminality is inherited and that someone “born criminal”
could be identified by the way they look.
- criminal frequently exhibit a number of stigmata, or identifying physical
traits such as symmetrical features, enormous jaws, gigantic or protruding ears
and receding chins.
- criminals are atavistic people (resembled primitive people) with
distinct personalities and mindsets. Due to their antiquated mindset, they can’t
adopt to modern culture
- criminal might be classifies as inherent, epileptic or insane
- Born criminals have odd physical attributes such as inability to feel pain, a lack
of morals, including sorrow and repentance as well as other characteristics such
as physical slang or argot, a tendency to use visuals to explain thoughts and
strong tattooing habit.
CRITICS ON LOMBROSO’S THEORY
- it was mainly based on his research on criminals
- he didn't carry out research on the personality of non-offenders
-there can thus no meaningful comparison between the physical
distinction between criminals and non-criminals
- additionally, there is no such thing as physical inclined criminal

2. GENERAL INFERIORITY/ HOOTON’S THEORY (Ernest Hooton)

- because criminals were initially lower-class human beings, crime is the
product of the environments influence on them.
- there are crimes because there are some low-class individuals who
commit them
- men with average builds have propensity for breaking the law since
criminal behavior is characterless like physical appearance.
- criminals should be permanently sent to autonomous areas, secluded
from society and sterelized to prevent procreation.

3. WILLIAM SHELDON’s THEORY (Somatotyping Theory)- the classifying

of people into types according to body build.

A. Endomorphs- people that are often chubby, rounded, an soft with

short arms and legs

B. Mesomorphs- people with strong, athletic bodies and assertive,

aggressive personalities. Delinquency exists because mesomorphics guys or
young people are the one produce it.
C. Ectomorphs- person who are generally thin and have brittle, lean
bodies.
4. GENETIC THEORY
- People with aberrant genetic make-up or chromosomal abnormalities are
more likely to commit crimes and in delinquent behavior.
- Genetic material (genes) is transmitted through DNA.
- Men with extra Y chromosomes (Jacobs syndrome) who are taller and
have a 10 or 20% higher inclination to break the law than genetically normal XY
guys, are aggressive and hence more likely to commit crimes.

III. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

- delinquency is the outcome of underlying, internal disorders
- this disorders start in childhood and often stick around as permanent
traits of the person

PSYCHOGENE THEORIES
-views that attribute criminality is childhood impulses rather than
environment in which the child grows up.
-Psychogenics believe that it is easier to change a person than it. is to
change an environment

1. FREUDAN PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

- promoted by Sigmund Freud (Father of Psychoanalysis), the thought
that humans go through several stages of development. Conflict is more prone to
arise when irregularities take place
- Conflict is cause n push events that generate conflict into their
unconscious mind because it hurts to deal with them.

4 ELEMENTS IN FREUD THEORY

1. Human nature is by its nature antisocial. Ever infant has a set pf primal anti-
social inclinations known as the ID, according to Freud.
2. Effective socializing is the key to developing good conduct. Socialization
teaches the youngster how to exercise self-control.
3. Early infancy is where human personalties enduring traits are formed. All of
the fundamental components of a child’s adult personality have fully formed by
the time they are five years old.
4. A weak superego is the cause of criminal behavior.

3 PARTS OF HUMAN PSYCHE (personality)

1. ID- is the part of the personality that is unconscious and is predominated by
the desire (cravings) for pleasure as well as innate sexual and violent urges.
Unchecked, it could kill the individual.
2. EGO- the reasoning side of the personality, the ego, develops from the ID.
It represents personality traits related to problem-solving or operates in
conscious mind
3. SUPEREGO- develops from ego. It is a representation of the persons learned
morals, standards and values. As a result, it is to blame for feelings of shame
and guilt.Operates both unconsciously and consciously.
 A person is considered mentally healthy if all of the components of their
personality work together harmoniously. The person is maladjusted and there is
great likelihood that he will perform criminal acts when parts are at odds.

In Freudian theory, the human mind is structured into two main parts:
the conscious and unconscious mind.

 The conscious mind includes all the things we are aware of or can easily
bring into awareness.
 The unconscious mind, on the other hand, includes all of the things
outside of our awareness—all of the wishes, desires, hopes, urges, and
memories that we aren't aware of yet continue to influence behavior.

 The id is the most primitive part of the personality that is the source of all
our most basic urges. The id is entirely unconscious and serves as the
source of all libidinal energy (seeking in pleasure, sexual urges or
encompass the seeking of pleasure in general)
 The ego is the component of personality that deals with reality and helps
ensure that the demands of the id are satisfied in ways that are realistic,
safe, and socially acceptable.
 The superego is the part of the personality that holds all of the
internalized morals and standards that we acquire from our parents,
family, and society at large.