Abstract

Juvenile delinquency, often known as delinquency, is a name given to people who engage in deviant behaviour that is frowned upon by society. The age of the juvenile plays an important role in protecting them from harsh punishment. Following the exponential rise in the brutality of juvenile crime, a few countries, like the United States, have decided to shift from tolerant and reformative policies to stricter ones. While the United Kingdom and India refuse to give up on these children, they remain committed to the reform and rehabilitation programme. The various reasons for juvenile delinquency are examined, as well as the genetic, psychological, and biological hypotheses. In addition, specific forces and societal institutions that are linked to juvenile delinquency are identified and explained. In addition to the aforementioned topics, the author investigates the plethora of factors that influence juvenile delinquency, including peer groups, familial and economic position, religion, school, media, and other environmental and psychological triggers or motivators. This paper examines the rationale for the various approaches taken by the juvenile justice systems in India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with the goal of highlighting a flaw in their criminal justice systems: the overemphasis placed on the age factor when assessing and determining the liability or culpability of a juvenile delinquent.

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