There is a widespread view in Trinidad and Tobago that the standard of behaviour among young people is deteriorating and that this deterioration is (“whatever the reason for it”) is one of the major causes of the increase in crime. The increase in criminal and deviant behaviour among youths/juveniles in Trinidad and Tobago has been a national concern for some time. Reports on serious crime- murder, attack with weapons, rape, larceny, kidnapping- allegedly committed by youths and is reported in the media. This upsurge has given rise to what are the causal factors for the extent and forms of delinquency.
The dynamics of gender, race and social class will be examine to demonstrate how they are related to the upsurge in delinquency and criminal activities in this youth section of the population. The situation of the protection and achievement of rights of particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Trinidad and Tobago is still one that warrants immediate attention and the commitment of financial and human resources.
Children in need of special protection from all forms of abuses and neglect as well as children in institutions of care are most adversely ffected by a lack of government commitment and political will. The situation of the girl child in Trinidad and Tobago is also an area of critical concern.
Although changes are being slowly made in legislation and programmes are being implemented bit by bit far too many children are being under-supported or just plain neglected and/or abused in practice. Juvenile Homes has been existence in Trinidad and Tobago since the early 18th century. Homes such as St Michael’s School for Boys formally called Boys Industrial, St. Judes, and YTC. These juvenile homes house delinquents who committed various crimes.
Crimes such as rape, drug possession, murder, larceny, beyond parental control, run away, molestation, prostitution and protection (from child abuse). Juveniles are sent to these homes through the court systems in Trinidad and Tobago. Juvenile Delinquency here in Trinidad and Tobago is a result of absent father figure in the home, abuse (domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual and physical abuse) and peer pressure. The literature on juvenile delinquency has shown that incarcerating children and young people in detention centers, young offender institutions or prisons in an attempt to reform them has been an expensive failure.
According to Singh (1997)11 these institutions have the tendency of increasing the reconviction rates of their exanimate. It has also been stated that young people who have spent time at these institutions are likely to end up in prison as adults confirming the notion that prison establishments are “universities of crime. ” Therefore, as the pervasive problem of juvenile delinquency continues to threaten the safety, security and moral fabric of society, concerns and searches for initiatives to curb this growing menace continues to grow.
The Young Person and Offenders Act (Young Offenders Detention Act, No. 19 of 1926, which has been in operation since November, 1962) and The Probation (of Offenders) Act (1947). Overall these pieces of legislation are inadequate and a total system of Juvenile Justice is an urgent requisite. It is instructive to note that though there is no ‘real’ Juvenile Justice System in Trinidad and Tobago, this should not be interpreted to mean that there is no protection for juveniles within the existing justice system as the system offers a small measure of comfort for these deviant youths.
This includes not photographing youths under the age of eighteen who are being tried for serious offences and not mentioning their names in reports carried in the print or electronic media. This limited protection is often breached as was evident in the case of two male juveniles who were charged for the murder of six year old Sean Luke Lum Fai in 2006 when their images were captured electronically and circulated via the internet. As such, it is the Family Court and mainly the adult Magistrates’ Courts throughout Trinidad and Tobago which deals with juvenile offenders.
However, the Family Court does not deal exclusively with juvenile issues. In 2004, the then Attorney General, John Jeremie, in an address on the purpose of the Family Court opined that it was “to preserve the institution of the family. Trinidad and Tobago, according to Mustapha (2007, 233) it has been established that three classes exist within the social strata which include upper class, middle class and the lower/working class. Sociologists often use social class/ socioeconomic status as a means of predicting behaviour/ and for the purpose of this essay it is used as predicting delinquency behaviour”.
There seem exist a symbiotic relationship among gender, racial/ethnic backgrounds, social class and juvenile delinquency. An important aspect of delinquency is the relation of personal traits and social characteristics associated with adolescent misconduct. There exist varying contributing factors to delinquent antisocial behaviour, but this essay seeks to only show how gender, race/ethnicity and social class relates to juvenile delinquency.
Definitions
- Juvenile delinquency is defined in varying ways; Holmes et al. (2001, 185) stated that juvenile delinquency refers to the antisocial behaviour/ illegal behaviour by children or adolescents. He further posits that a juvenile delinquent is one who repeatedly commits crime.
- Juvenile delinquency in the jurisdiction of Trinidad and Tobago refers to various offences committed by children or youths under the age of eighteen and is frequently called youth deviance
- TnT: Trinidad and Tobago Biblical Perspective of Juvenile Delinquency Old Testament The Old Testament has highlighted ways in which juvenile delinquency was addressed.
The book of Samuel illustrated the neglect and pains of King David towards his son Absalom who rebelled as a result of a heinous act done by his half brother. David had a lovely daughter by the name of Tamar. Tamar’s half-brother, Amnon, was quite taken with his sister. He lusted for her, and when she would not yield, he raped the girl (2 Samuel 13:14). Tamar’s full-brother, Absalom, learned of the horrible deed and was outraged. Doubtless he expected his father to avenge the wicked act. But David did nothing perhaps due to his own weakness in the area of fleshly desire.
In Trinidad and Tobago most homes deal with similar situations and the results are also similar whereby youths retaliate and become delinquents in society. Absalom signifies the thorn in Trinidad and Tobago where juvenile delinquency has scourged. The book of Proverbs (2:1) was another book that highlighted one of the causes of juvenile delinquency.
Solomon was David son and he too was engulfing with God’s love and he wanted to be there for his son. “My son, if thou wilt receives my words, and hides my commandments with thee. ” Throughout this book, Solomon gives evidence of great concern for the spiritual welfare and uprightness of his son.
For this reason, Proverbs is a book well adapted for family devotions, and were its principles practiced more, juvenile delinquency would almost cease to exist. It has always been hard for young people to realize that parents have at least twenty years more knowledge and experience than they do, and to submit to their teaching. But this is the divine order. The Word of Truth is not only a preventative to sin, (Ps. 119:11), but it is also a producer of God-honoring fruit, (Matthew 13:23). Solomon appeals to his son to both receive his teachings and also hide them in his heart.
Juvenile Behaviour has its roots in family breakdown and domestic violence, as well as lack of parental moral guidance and supervision. Broken family is the most important cause of juvenile delinquency. In fact, the break-up of the parents’ relation really affects children’s psychology and behavior especially in their early infancy. It is true that suffering separation in the family is a difficult experience for any young children. In addition, living with a single parent also means that children are not taken care of as fully and quickly as other children.
This can result in not only emotional but also physical stress which, in turn, increases the risk of a parent-child relationship that is emotionally distant. A series of negative effects of this may follow such as children’s disappointment, disorientation, stubbornness and criminal delinquency. Another cause of teenage deviants is domestic violence. There is a true factor that conflicts between parents cause a hurtful feeling of children. The more frequent and intense conflicts are, the more children are hurt emotionally. Because of this, they become withdrawn and depressed.
Gradually, they develop mental disorder, hostility and aggression towards others outside the family. All these things are against good behavior and action. That is when criminal delinquency starts. Lack of parental discipline and supervision also results in teenage criminals. Since they are young and inexperienced, children who are rejected and not supervised are not able to identify what is good or bad for them and quite unaware of the pitfalls they might face. Corporal punishment such as spanking and caning works sometimes.
