CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Biologically, a juvenile is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. However, the legal definition of a juvenile generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of a majority.

According to the United Nations Convention on the rights of a child, a child is a human being below the ages of eighteen(18) years unless under the law applicable to the child.

Delinquency is basically a legal concept defined in different ways among people or scholars. It is defined as a state of being delinquent or behavior that is not in accordance with accepted social standards or with the constitution of the country. In a society, a delinquent behavior refers to any act punishable by death, imprisonment or a fine. Delinquent behavior includes stealing, sexual offence, destruction of property (vandalism) and smoking of marijuana, drug pilfering and others.

Juvenile delinquency is a growing phenomenon and many people do not know what to do about it quite yet. The rising incidence of juvenile delinquency in many countries may be caused by certain socio-economic problems often associated with development. From the word “juvenile delinquency”, it means young offenders that are guilty of minor crimes or misdeeds.

The Bartol & Bartol (2011) textbook explains that the psychological definition of delinquency is a child’s engagement in extreme anti-social behavior. Children are supposed to be a sign of innocence and loyalty, yet they are killing other children and they are even killing their own parents.

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