The document discusses juvenile delinquency, which refers to illegal or antisocial behavior by children and adolescents. It outlines several theories for the causes of youth crime, including strain theory proposed by Robert Merton, which suggests that lack of access to legitimate means of success due to factors like poverty can lead youth to crime. The document also describes a new juvenile justice law in the Philippines that emphasizes restorative justice and diversion of youth offenders from the criminal justice system whenever possible.

1. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Juvenile delinquency refers to antisocial or illegal behavior by children or
adolescents. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as
juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime,
most if not all of which can be applied to the causes of youth crime. Youth crime is an aspect of
crime which receives great attention from the news media and politicians. The level and types of
youth crime can be used by commentators as an indicator of the general state of morality and law
and order in a country, and consequently youth crime can be the source of ‘moral
panics’ Theories on the causes of youth crime can be viewed as particularly important
within criminology. This is firstly because crime is committed disproportionately by those aged
between fifteen and twenty-five. Secondly, by definition any theories on the causes of crime will
focus on youth crime, as adult criminals will have likely started offending when they were
young.
A Juvenile Delinquent is a person who is typically under the age of 18 and commits an act that
otherwise would've been charged as a crime if they were an adult. Juvenile delinquents
sometimes have associated mental disorders and/or behavioral issues such as post traumatic
stress disorder or bipolar disorder, and are sometimes diagnosed with conduct disorder partially
as both the cause and resulting effects of their behaviors.
New Juvenile Justice Law in the Philippines
With the signing of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act 2006 by President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippines introduced a new juvenile justice system.
Among the many provisions seeking to protect children in conflict
with the law, the legislation calls for restorative justice to be an integral part of the new
system.
In outlining the principles of juvenile justice, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act 2006 calls for
restorative justice to be incorporated into all “laws, policies and programmes applicable to
children in conflict with the law.” It defines restorative justice as
“… a principle which requires a process of resolving conflicts with the maximum involvement
of the victim, the offender and the community. It seeks to obtain reparation for the victim;
reconciliation of the offender, the offended and the community; and reassurance to the offender
that he/she can be reintegrated into society. It also enhances public safety by
activating the offender, the victim and the community in prevention strategies.”
Restorative justice is featured in Chapter 2, which outlines diversion procedures. According to
paragraph (a), individuals responsible for responding to crimes by young offenders “shall
conduct mediation, family conferencing and conciliation and, where appropriate,
adopt indigenous modes of conflict resolution in accordance with the best interest of the child
with a view of accomplishing the objectives of restorative justice and the formulation of a
diversion program.” The section provides for creation of a diversion contract during those
processes and the steps to take if the contract is not completed. Diversion can be used at all
stages of the criminal justice system.
The Act, which was passed unanimously by the Filipino Congress, is a response to criticisms

2. of the conditions under which young offenders were being held in prisons. According
to the United Nations Children’s Fund an estimated 4,000 children were imprisoned at the end of
2005, most of them charged with minor crimes. Under the new legislation, children under the age
of 15 cannot be charged with a crime. For 15- to 18-year-old juveniles, diversion away from
court is the preferred method for responding to crimes that carry a possible sentence of six years
or less.
The legislation became effective in May and is already having an impact for some juveniles.
Over 500 children have been transfered from jails to youth homes. It is estimated that over 1,500
criminal cases against young offenders younger than 15 will be dismissed as the law is
implemented retroactively. Thenew diversion provisions will take longer to implement as local
committees forthe protection of children are formed and personnel are trained.
Strain
Strain theory is associated mainly with the work of Robert Merton. He felt that there
are institutionalized paths to success in society. Strain theory holds that crime is caused by the
difficulty those inpoverty have in achieving socially valued goals by legitimate means.[2] As
those with, for instance, poor educational attainment have difficulty achieving wealth and status
by securing well paid employment, they are more likely to use criminal means to obtain these
goals.[12] Merton's suggests five adaptations to this dilemma:
1. Innovation: individuals who accept socially approved goals, but not necessarily the
socially approved means.
2. Retreatism: those who reject socially approved goals and the means for acquiring them.
3. Ritualism: those who buy into a system of socially approved means, but lose sight of the
goals. Merton believed that drug users are in this category.
4. Conformity: those who conform to the system's means and goals.
5. Rebellion: people who negate socially approved goals and means by creating a new
system of acceptable goals and means.
A difficulty with strain theory is that it does not explore why children of low-income families
would have poor educational attainment in the first place. More importantly is the fact that much
youth crime does not have an economic motivation. Strain theory fails to explain violent crime,
the type of youth crime which causes most anxiety to the public.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juvenile_delinquency
http://www.restorativejustice.org/editions/2006/september06/philippines