Juvenile Delinquency / Teen Crime
许雪梅 李砚南 陶亦凡
Definition
指6—25岁年龄段的人实施的犯罪行为、触犯治安管理的违法行为和违反道德规范的不良行为。
Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, or youth crime, is participation in illegal behavior by minors (juveniles) (individuals younger than the statutory age of majority)-----wikipedia
What Are the Causes of Juvenile Delinquency?
Understanding the causes of juvenile delinquency is an integral part of preventing a young person from involvement in inappropriate, harmful and illegal conduct. Four primary risk factors can identify young people inclined to delinquent activities: individual, family, mental health and substance abuse. Often, a juvenile is exposed to risk factors in more than one of these classifications.
Individual Risk Factor
Several risk factors are identified with juvenile delinquency. A minor who has a lower
intelligence and who does not receive a proper education is more prone to become involved in delinquent conduct. Other risk factors include impulsive behavior, uncontrolled aggression and an inability to delay gratification. In many instances, multiple individual risk factors can be identified as contributing to a juvenile's involvement in harmful, destructive and illegal activities.
Family Risk Factors
A consistent pattern of family risk factors are associated with the development of delinquent behavior in young people. These family risk factors include a lack of proper parental supervision, ongoing parental conflict, neglect and abuse (emotional, psychological or
physical). Parents who demonstrate a lack of respect for the law and social norms are likely to have children who think similarly. Finally, those children that display the weakest attachment to their parents and families are precisely the same juveniles who engage in inappropriate activities, including delinquent conduct.
Mental Health Risk Factor
Several mental health factors are also seen as contributing to juvenile delinquency. It is important to keep in mind, however, that a diagnosis of certain types of mental health conditions--primarily personality disorders--cannot be made in regard to child. However, there are precursors of these conditions that can be exhibited in childhood that tend to end up being displayed through delinquent behavior. A common one is conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is defined as "a lack of empathy and disregard for societal norms."
(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, American Psychiatric Association, 2004.)
Substance Abuse Risk Factor
Substance abuse is found in a majority of cases of juvenile delinquency, Two trends are identified in regard to substance abuse and minors. First, juveniles are using more powerful drugs today than was the case as recently as 10 years ago. Second, the age at which some
juveniles begin using drugs is younger. Children in elementary schools are found to be using powerful illegal drugs. The use of these illegal substances or the use of legal substances illegally motivates young people to commit crimes to obtain money for drugs. Additionally, juveniles are far more likely to engage in destructive, harmful and illegal activities when using drugs and alcohol.
1. 自身原因
青少年自身素质的好坏是决定其是否违法犯罪的关键。一些青少年自身素质不高，抵御能力差。其自身不正确的世界观、人生观和价值观，游手好闲、好逸恶劳、无事生非的不良嗜好和品行，自身性格的缺陷，幼稚的心理，以及自身生活需要、人格尊严得不到满足，加上法制观念的缺乏等等，一旦受到外界因素的影响、刺激，很容易走向犯罪道路。
2. 家庭原因
父母是孩子的第一老师，家庭是人生的第一课堂。家庭教育的缺陷是子女形成不良个性的基础，正如古人所言：―养不教，父之过。‖这主要有几种情况：一是父母文化程度不高，不会管，出了问题，往往棍棒相加，缺乏耐心细致的说服教育；二是子女长期养成的不良习性，父母管不了，因为没有从早期教育入手、管得晚了；三是父母对子女丧失信心，不愿管，顺其自然，放任自流；四是父母离异后，孩子无人管，为了自己而不顾及或无暇顾及孩子，使之浪迹社会；五是父母自身行为不端直接影响孩子，使之效仿父母，小偷小摸，打架斗殴。人们总结的一句话：―问题家庭出问题少年‖，确实不无道理！前文谈到的我所曾承办的三名未成年人强奸案，三个被告人的家庭都是离异家庭，其共性是对孩子缺乏关爱。法庭教育时，这三个父母都痛哭流涕，说对不住孩子，表示以后要加强对孩子的关爱和教育。
3. 学校原因
片面追求升学率的指导思想。对学生处分缺乏慎重考虑和处分后对处分生放弃教育法制教育的缺乏或者流于形式。。
4. 社会原因
文化市场的―黄色污染‖。以腐败现象为代表的―灰色污染‖。带有黑社会性质暴力犯罪的―黑色污染‖。
5. 司法原因
刑事诉讼制度及其执行方面存在的问题。监狱的―交叉感染‖。
Prevention
1. 自身预防
2. 家庭预防
3. 学校预防
4. 社会预防
Data
以我们焦作为例，2000年全市查获青少年犯罪人数3633人，2001年全市查获青少年犯罪人数4739人，2002年全市查获青少年犯罪人数4789人，这些数据说明青少年犯罪嫌疑人人数及比例都呈上升趋势。从焦作市2000年至2002年查获的青少年犯罪嫌疑人来分析，2000年查获的3633人中，17岁以下的有249人，占总数的7％，2001年查获的4739人中，17岁以下的有402人，占总数的8％，2002年查获的4789人中，17岁以下的有718人，占总数的15％。2000年全市打掉青少年刑事犯罪团伙283个，这些青少年犯罪团伙以一定的方式和社会联系为纽带结成，有的以同学关系组成，有的以居住地结成，以成年犯为主少年犯参与，少则三、五人，多则二十余人，进行抢劫、强奸、盗窃等团伙犯罪活动。如：2000年初，焦作市解放公安分局侦破的以赵亮为首的十六人抢劫、强奸团伙案，其成员全部为青少年，均由在校学生和失学少年组成。2000年初，焦作市刑侦支队侦破的以柳建军为首的七人抢劫、强奸、盗窃团伙案，全部为居住在一个村的青少年所为。
Examining prevalence data and the characteristics of juvenile sex offenders is a fundamental component to obtain a precise understanding of this heterogeneous group. With mandatory reporting laws in place, it became a necessity for providers to report any incidents of disclosed sexual abuse. Longo and Prescott indicate that juveniles commit approximately 30-60% of all child sexual abuse.[33] The Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports indicate that in 2008 youth under the age of 18 accounted for 16.7% of forcible rapes and 20.61% of other sexual offenses.[35] Center for Sex Offender Management indicates that approximately one-fifth of all rapes and one-half of all sexual child molestation can be accounted for by juveniles.
Official record data
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention indicates that 15% of juvenile arrestsoccurred for rape in 2006, and 12% were clearance (resolved by an arrest).The total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for forcible rape was 3,610 with 2% being female and 36% being under the age of 15 years old. This trend has declined throughout the years with forcible rape from 1997–2006 being −30% and from 2005-2006 being −10%.The OJJDP reports that the juvenile arrest rate for forcible rape increased from the early 1980s through the 1990s and at that time it fell again. All types of crime rates fell in the 1990s. The OJJDP also reported that the total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for sex offenses (other than forcible rape) was 15,900 with 10% being female and 47% being under the age of 15. There was again a decrease with the trend throughout the years with sex offenses from 1997–2006 being −16% and from 2005-2006 being −9%.
A Model Essay of IELTS
Juvenile Delinquency
Currently, juvenile delinquency is increasingly common. That is the biggest problem which parents and even the society are worried about. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Violence and drug abuse are the tropical events among teenagers. In the following paragraphs,
I will analyze the causes and solutions.
First, the short of love is the main reason. Many adolescents who have busy-working parents have to resist loneliness since they were kids. They live on a lonesome life, and they are not satisfied with their parents. Those extremists deem that the society is the arch criminal which ruin their life. So they make up their minds to revenge.
What’s more, children always are full of impertinent curiosity. However, as we know, curiosity killed the cat. There are plenty of subject matter unsuitable for younger children on the television and other media. However, kids consider that those stuff are very exciting and fun. So they yearn for trying to do the same thing what they heard and saw by themselves, like violence, robbery and rape. As time passes, when these children grow up, they have formed the habit of doing bad things. And they never feel guilty about it.
Lastly, poor society skills also cause this problem. Teens who don’t like to communicate to others usually have little friends. When they face some difficulties, they have no one to talk with. So they feel agitation， fear and anger. And they try to suppress these feelings. But they will lose controls when they feel that life is no longer endurable. So they will do something extreme to express their feelings.
All rivers run into sea. First of all, to avoid making teens feel lonely, parents should pay more attention to their children. They always put themselves on the work, they ignore how their kids feel. Parents’ main obligation is to provide both emotional and practical nurture for children. Schools should hold a parents meeting to communicate with parents and let them realize that how important to spend more time on their kids. Parents ought to listen to their children carefully and when they are in trouble they should give them suggestions and encourage them.
Secondly, the criminal behaviors in the television are the temptation to the adolescents and kids. So parents have obligation to distract their attention and let them watch less TV， parent can bring kids to the park and library, and encourage them to spend more time to play with the contemporaries.
Last but not least, schools and parents should let teens join some social activities, like clubs and balls. The need to communicate is a key characteristic of human society. Join a social club to make new friends is a good way to complete an adolescent. Education begins a gentleman, conversation completes him.
Another Model Assay
Today, there are more and more cases of juvenile delinquency in some countries. What are the reasons? What can be done to relieve the problem?
At present, crimes committed by teenagers are booming in an alarming rate. This phenomenon, as far as I am concerned, can be attributed to a number of reasons and in this essay, I would like to present the solutions to the problem as well as analyze the causes.
The cause of the phenomenon, in my opinion, is a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, with intrinsic factors being the apple of discord. Teenagers, referring to the people aged between 13 and 19, are easily to be led to a blind alley. Indeed, teenagers, who are mentally immature in general, often find it hard to distinguish right from wrong and tend to be influenced by certain TV programs or movies containing excessive violence and sex.
In addition, parents and schools should also be responsible for the regretful phenomenon. From my point of view, it is just because of the lack of proper guidance from the parents and the schools that some young criminals are led astray. The fact that all the majority of schools provides to the students is nothing but academic knowledge and the education concerning morale standards and correct philosophy of life is often ignored serves as a convincing example.
To tackle the problem, the government as well as schools and parents should join hands. To begin with, the government should legislate stricter laws prohibiting teenagers from going astray. For example, people under 18 are strictly banned to enter pubs or to purchase cigarettes, which potentially reduces the possibility of the occurrence of teenagers’ misconduct.
Moreover, the parents and the schools should also make efforts to guide the teenagers into the right way. Indeed, should the parents spend more time to care for their children and the schools introduce the correct outlook of life as well as academic knowledge to the students, chances are that the teenagers lost in a wrong way would back to the right track.
Articles
1. Teen Crime Rate on the Increase in Shanghai
The number of crimes committed by teenagers in Shanghai's Jing'an District is on the rise, according to a survey conducted by prosecutors in the district. Prosecutors wouldn't say, however, how many crimes youngsters have committed, what percentage of crimes in the district they are responsible for, or how quickly the teen crime rate is growing.
Most of the young criminals come from broken families and many of the crimes are the result of young love, according to prosecutor Cai Sheng, who notes that most of the youngsters to appear in district courts already have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
He said the youngsters often commit crimes to impress their friends without thinking about the consequences. For example, young men often steal expensive clothes from shopping malls to give to their girlfriends as a gift, Cai said.
In a case that was tried recently, a teenage couple and two of their young friends, robbed a local woman in order to collect money to pay for an abortion. A 17-year-old girl surnamed Wu, and her boyfriend surnamed Bao, had both dropped out of school but neither of them had a job.
Wu found she was pregnant one day last May.
Neither her nor Bao had enough money to pay for an abortion.
Too scared to tell their parents, the young couple decided to steal some money and turned to another couple, surnamed Huang and Liang, for help. Early on the morning of May 8, 2004, the four teenagers robbed a woman of 500 yuan (US$60) in cash and a mobile phone worth 700 yuan. But before they made it to the hospital for the surgery, they had already used all the money up. They were caught two days later.
(Shanghai Daily February 1, 2005)
On Juvenile Crime
It has become apparent to us that one of the serious problems confronting Chinese society is the teenager crime-that is, crime committed by individuals who haven’t come of age. As is described in the picture, a teenager boy held a knife in his hand with blood dripping down and on the floor behind him lay an old lady who was killed by him. Whether the category is murder or robbery, the problem of juvenile delinquency has drawn people’s attention and concern.
There are a number of factors, both individual and social, which may account for the serious problem. One reason is that with the improvement of our life, people have more sources of entertainment, among which TV is the most popular. However, many TV programs are full of violence and crime. Influenced by these programs, teenagers, who are not mentally mature enough, will follow the examples to commit crimes. Another reason lies in the fact that one negative consequence of rapid social development is the breakup of more and more marriages. Those teenagers who live in single-parent families are said to feel neglected and may easily develop bad behavior. Being both physically and mentally weak, many of them will easily fall into the trap of criminals.
Although the problem cannot be solved immediately, measures should be taken to find possible solutions. For one thing, parents and society should be more concerned with the mental education of young boys and girls. For another, teenagers themselves should have enough knowledge of law so that they can distinguish right from wrong.
思考与建议
1．青少年犯罪情况的两个代表性指标是青少年犯罪数量和青少年人口犯罪率
2．我们应当重视和掌握青少年人口基数这一重要数据
3．现阶段我们需要重视青少年犯罪问题，但是无需过激的反应
4．青少年犯罪预防工作应考虑到未成年人与青年两个亚群体的差异
5. 创建少年司法制度的合理性解释
6．我国有关青少年及其犯罪的数据统计制度需要进一步完善
Juvenile Delinquency / Teen Crime
许雪梅 李砚南 陶亦凡
Definition
指6—25岁年龄段的人实施的犯罪行为、触犯治安管理的违法行为和违反道德规范的不良行为。
Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, or youth crime, is participation in illegal behavior by minors (juveniles) (individuals younger than the statutory age of majority)-----wikipedia
What Are the Causes of Juvenile Delinquency?
Understanding the causes of juvenile delinquency is an integral part of preventing a young person from involvement in inappropriate, harmful and illegal conduct. Four primary risk factors can identify young people inclined to delinquent activities: individual, family, mental health and substance abuse. Often, a juvenile is exposed to risk factors in more than one of these classifications.
Individual Risk Factor
Several risk factors are identified with juvenile delinquency. A minor who has a lower
intelligence and who does not receive a proper education is more prone to become involved in delinquent conduct. Other risk factors include impulsive behavior, uncontrolled aggression and an inability to delay gratification. In many instances, multiple individual risk factors can be identified as contributing to a juvenile's involvement in harmful, destructive and illegal activities.
Family Risk Factors
A consistent pattern of family risk factors are associated with the development of delinquent behavior in young people. These family risk factors include a lack of proper parental supervision, ongoing parental conflict, neglect and abuse (emotional, psychological or
physical). Parents who demonstrate a lack of respect for the law and social norms are likely to have children who think similarly. Finally, those children that display the weakest attachment to their parents and families are precisely the same juveniles who engage in inappropriate activities, including delinquent conduct.
Mental Health Risk Factor
Several mental health factors are also seen as contributing to juvenile delinquency. It is important to keep in mind, however, that a diagnosis of certain types of mental health conditions--primarily personality disorders--cannot be made in regard to child. However, there are precursors of these conditions that can be exhibited in childhood that tend to end up being displayed through delinquent behavior. A common one is conduct disorder. Conduct disorder is defined as "a lack of empathy and disregard for societal norms."
(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, American Psychiatric Association, 2004.)
Substance Abuse Risk Factor
Substance abuse is found in a majority of cases of juvenile delinquency, Two trends are identified in regard to substance abuse and minors. First, juveniles are using more powerful drugs today than was the case as recently as 10 years ago. Second, the age at which some
juveniles begin using drugs is younger. Children in elementary schools are found to be using powerful illegal drugs. The use of these illegal substances or the use of legal substances illegally motivates young people to commit crimes to obtain money for drugs. Additionally, juveniles are far more likely to engage in destructive, harmful and illegal activities when using drugs and alcohol.
1. 自身原因
青少年自身素质的好坏是决定其是否违法犯罪的关键。一些青少年自身素质不高，抵御能力差。其自身不正确的世界观、人生观和价值观，游手好闲、好逸恶劳、无事生非的不良嗜好和品行，自身性格的缺陷，幼稚的心理，以及自身生活需要、人格尊严得不到满足，加上法制观念的缺乏等等，一旦受到外界因素的影响、刺激，很容易走向犯罪道路。
2. 家庭原因
父母是孩子的第一老师，家庭是人生的第一课堂。家庭教育的缺陷是子女形成不良个性的基础，正如古人所言：―养不教，父之过。‖这主要有几种情况：一是父母文化程度不高，不会管，出了问题，往往棍棒相加，缺乏耐心细致的说服教育；二是子女长期养成的不良习性，父母管不了，因为没有从早期教育入手、管得晚了；三是父母对子女丧失信心，不愿管，顺其自然，放任自流；四是父母离异后，孩子无人管，为了自己而不顾及或无暇顾及孩子，使之浪迹社会；五是父母自身行为不端直接影响孩子，使之效仿父母，小偷小摸，打架斗殴。人们总结的一句话：―问题家庭出问题少年‖，确实不无道理！前文谈到的我所曾承办的三名未成年人强奸案，三个被告人的家庭都是离异家庭，其共性是对孩子缺乏关爱。法庭教育时，这三个父母都痛哭流涕，说对不住孩子，表示以后要加强对孩子的关爱和教育。
3. 学校原因
片面追求升学率的指导思想。对学生处分缺乏慎重考虑和处分后对处分生放弃教育法制教育的缺乏或者流于形式。。
4. 社会原因
文化市场的―黄色污染‖。以腐败现象为代表的―灰色污染‖。带有黑社会性质暴力犯罪的―黑色污染‖。
5. 司法原因
刑事诉讼制度及其执行方面存在的问题。监狱的―交叉感染‖。
Prevention
1. 自身预防
2. 家庭预防
3. 学校预防
4. 社会预防
Data
以我们焦作为例，2000年全市查获青少年犯罪人数3633人，2001年全市查获青少年犯罪人数4739人，2002年全市查获青少年犯罪人数4789人，这些数据说明青少年犯罪嫌疑人人数及比例都呈上升趋势。从焦作市2000年至2002年查获的青少年犯罪嫌疑人来分析，2000年查获的3633人中，17岁以下的有249人，占总数的7％，2001年查获的4739人中，17岁以下的有402人，占总数的8％，2002年查获的4789人中，17岁以下的有718人，占总数的15％。2000年全市打掉青少年刑事犯罪团伙283个，这些青少年犯罪团伙以一定的方式和社会联系为纽带结成，有的以同学关系组成，有的以居住地结成，以成年犯为主少年犯参与，少则三、五人，多则二十余人，进行抢劫、强奸、盗窃等团伙犯罪活动。如：2000年初，焦作市解放公安分局侦破的以赵亮为首的十六人抢劫、强奸团伙案，其成员全部为青少年，均由在校学生和失学少年组成。2000年初，焦作市刑侦支队侦破的以柳建军为首的七人抢劫、强奸、盗窃团伙案，全部为居住在一个村的青少年所为。
Examining prevalence data and the characteristics of juvenile sex offenders is a fundamental component to obtain a precise understanding of this heterogeneous group. With mandatory reporting laws in place, it became a necessity for providers to report any incidents of disclosed sexual abuse. Longo and Prescott indicate that juveniles commit approximately 30-60% of all child sexual abuse.[33] The Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports indicate that in 2008 youth under the age of 18 accounted for 16.7% of forcible rapes and 20.61% of other sexual offenses.[35] Center for Sex Offender Management indicates that approximately one-fifth of all rapes and one-half of all sexual child molestation can be accounted for by juveniles.
Official record data
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention indicates that 15% of juvenile arrestsoccurred for rape in 2006, and 12% were clearance (resolved by an arrest).The total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for forcible rape was 3,610 with 2% being female and 36% being under the age of 15 years old. This trend has declined throughout the years with forcible rape from 1997–2006 being −30% and from 2005-2006 being −10%.The OJJDP reports that the juvenile arrest rate for forcible rape increased from the early 1980s through the 1990s and at that time it fell again. All types of crime rates fell in the 1990s. The OJJDP also reported that the total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for sex offenses (other than forcible rape) was 15,900 with 10% being female and 47% being under the age of 15. There was again a decrease with the trend throughout the years with sex offenses from 1997–2006 being −16% and from 2005-2006 being −9%.
A Model Essay of IELTS
Juvenile Delinquency
Currently, juvenile delinquency is increasingly common. That is the biggest problem which parents and even the society are worried about. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Violence and drug abuse are the tropical events among teenagers. In the following paragraphs,
I will analyze the causes and solutions.
First, the short of love is the main reason. Many adolescents who have busy-working parents have to resist loneliness since they were kids. They live on a lonesome life, and they are not satisfied with their parents. Those extremists deem that the society is the arch criminal which ruin their life. So they make up their minds to revenge.
What’s more, children always are full of impertinent curiosity. However, as we know, curiosity killed the cat. There are plenty of subject matter unsuitable for younger children on the television and other media. However, kids consider that those stuff are very exciting and fun. So they yearn for trying to do the same thing what they heard and saw by themselves, like violence, robbery and rape. As time passes, when these children grow up, they have formed the habit of doing bad things. And they never feel guilty about it.
Lastly, poor society skills also cause this problem. Teens who don’t like to communicate to others usually have little friends. When they face some difficulties, they have no one to talk with. So they feel agitation， fear and anger. And they try to suppress these feelings. But they will lose controls when they feel that life is no longer endurable. So they will do something extreme to express their feelings.
All rivers run into sea. First of all, to avoid making teens feel lonely, parents should pay more attention to their children. They always put themselves on the work, they ignore how their kids feel. Parents’ main obligation is to provide both emotional and practical nurture for children. Schools should hold a parents meeting to communicate with parents and let them realize that how important to spend more time on their kids. Parents ought to listen to their children carefully and when they are in trouble they should give them suggestions and encourage them.
Secondly, the criminal behaviors in the television are the temptation to the adolescents and kids. So parents have obligation to distract their attention and let them watch less TV， parent can bring kids to the park and library, and encourage them to spend more time to play with the contemporaries.
Last but not least, schools and parents should let teens join some social activities, like clubs and balls. The need to communicate is a key characteristic of human society. Join a social club to make new friends is a good way to complete an adolescent. Education begins a gentleman, conversation completes him.
Another Model Assay
Today, there are more and more cases of juvenile delinquency in some countries. What are the reasons? What can be done to relieve the problem?
At present, crimes committed by teenagers are booming in an alarming rate. This phenomenon, as far as I am concerned, can be attributed to a number of reasons and in this essay, I would like to present the solutions to the problem as well as analyze the causes.
The cause of the phenomenon, in my opinion, is a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, with intrinsic factors being the apple of discord. Teenagers, referring to the people aged between 13 and 19, are easily to be led to a blind alley. Indeed, teenagers, who are mentally immature in general, often find it hard to distinguish right from wrong and tend to be influenced by certain TV programs or movies containing excessive violence and sex.
In addition, parents and schools should also be responsible for the regretful phenomenon. From my point of view, it is just because of the lack of proper guidance from the parents and the schools that some young criminals are led astray. The fact that all the majority of schools provides to the students is nothing but academic knowledge and the education concerning morale standards and correct philosophy of life is often ignored serves as a convincing example.
To tackle the problem, the government as well as schools and parents should join hands. To begin with, the government should legislate stricter laws prohibiting teenagers from going astray. For example, people under 18 are strictly banned to enter pubs or to purchase cigarettes, which potentially reduces the possibility of the occurrence of teenagers’ misconduct.
Moreover, the parents and the schools should also make efforts to guide the teenagers into the right way. Indeed, should the parents spend more time to care for their children and the schools introduce the correct outlook of life as well as academic knowledge to the students, chances are that the teenagers lost in a wrong way would back to the right track.
Articles
1. Teen Crime Rate on the Increase in Shanghai
The number of crimes committed by teenagers in Shanghai's Jing'an District is on the rise, according to a survey conducted by prosecutors in the district. Prosecutors wouldn't say, however, how many crimes youngsters have committed, what percentage of crimes in the district they are responsible for, or how quickly the teen crime rate is growing.
Most of the young criminals come from broken families and many of the crimes are the result of young love, according to prosecutor Cai Sheng, who notes that most of the youngsters to appear in district courts already have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
He said the youngsters often commit crimes to impress their friends without thinking about the consequences. For example, young men often steal expensive clothes from shopping malls to give to their girlfriends as a gift, Cai said.
In a case that was tried recently, a teenage couple and two of their young friends, robbed a local woman in order to collect money to pay for an abortion. A 17-year-old girl surnamed Wu, and her boyfriend surnamed Bao, had both dropped out of school but neither of them had a job.
Wu found she was pregnant one day last May.
Neither her nor Bao had enough money to pay for an abortion.
Too scared to tell their parents, the young couple decided to steal some money and turned to another couple, surnamed Huang and Liang, for help. Early on the morning of May 8, 2004, the four teenagers robbed a woman of 500 yuan (US$60) in cash and a mobile phone worth 700 yuan. But before they made it to the hospital for the surgery, they had already used all the money up. They were caught two days later.
(Shanghai Daily February 1, 2005)
On Juvenile Crime
It has become apparent to us that one of the serious problems confronting Chinese society is the teenager crime-that is, crime committed by individuals who haven’t come of age. As is described in the picture, a teenager boy held a knife in his hand with blood dripping down and on the floor behind him lay an old lady who was killed by him. Whether the category is murder or robbery, the problem of juvenile delinquency has drawn people’s attention and concern.
There are a number of factors, both individual and social, which may account for the serious problem. One reason is that with the improvement of our life, people have more sources of entertainment, among which TV is the most popular. However, many TV programs are full of violence and crime. Influenced by these programs, teenagers, who are not mentally mature enough, will follow the examples to commit crimes. Another reason lies in the fact that one negative consequence of rapid social development is the breakup of more and more marriages. Those teenagers who live in single-parent families are said to feel neglected and may easily develop bad behavior. Being both physically and mentally weak, many of them will easily fall into the trap of criminals.
Although the problem cannot be solved immediately, measures should be taken to find possible solutions. For one thing, parents and society should be more concerned with the mental education of young boys and girls. For another, teenagers themselves should have enough knowledge of law so that they can distinguish right from wrong.
思考与建议
1．青少年犯罪情况的两个代表性指标是青少年犯罪数量和青少年人口犯罪率
2．我们应当重视和掌握青少年人口基数这一重要数据
3．现阶段我们需要重视青少年犯罪问题，但是无需过激的反应
4．青少年犯罪预防工作应考虑到未成年人与青年两个亚群体的差异
5. 创建少年司法制度的合理性解释
6．我国有关青少年及其犯罪的数据统计制度需要进一步完善