Abuse, Juvenile Delinquency, and the Need for Effective Therapy

This essay delves into the critical relationship between abuse and juvenile delinquency, focusing on the experiences of juveniles aged 14-17 in the United States. It examines the various forms of abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and their impact on delinquent behaviors. The essay explores the social significance of studying this issue, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and effective therapy to prevent long-term negative outcomes. It reviews relevant literature, highlighting key studies and theories such as social learning and social control theories, to support the connection between childhood trauma and criminal behavior. The essay also addresses the cycle of abuse and the potential for abused individuals to become perpetrators themselves, underscoring the need for comprehensive support systems and resources for abused children to break the cycle of violence and promote rehabilitation.

Running head: ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 1
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Abuse and Juvenile Delinquency
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Institution

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Abuse and Juvenile Delinquency
Introduction
Abuse has affected more than one million children in the United States. Child abuse has
been the source of acute injury to more than 500, 000 children as well as the death of over 1,500
children annually (Lochner, Lance, and Enrico Moretti, 2014). These large numbers show how
child abuse and delinquency has impacted on the society even if they have less effect on the life
of the child. Delinquency has been an increasing issue in many states in the United States. The
issue of delinquency has increased as a result of early or current experiences with abuse. On the
other hand, abuse is the misuse of someone in such a manner that reveals no concern for the
person worth (Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew and Melanie, 2013).
Child sexual abuse is a common and impactful crime with significant implications for
child victims, adult survivors and the community at large. A recent meta-analysis of sixty-five
prevalence studies covering twenty-two countries found that 19.7percent of women and
7.9percent of men had experienced child sexual abuse before the age of 18 (Kendler et al., 2008).
Child sex offenders are overwhelmingly male and there are between 2.5 - 3 females for every
male victim (Kendler et al., 2008). Children in all social classes are vulnerable to sexual abuse
however institutionalized children and children in care, located at the intersections of poverty,
racism, state harm, and clerical crime, have been at particular risk (Smith and Thornberry, 2017).
The frequency of sexual abuse in the lives of children living with disability highlights how
sexual abuse flourishes in spaces of powerlessness and vulnerability, amplifying pre-existing
differentials in status and opportunity (Pelton, 2014). The life trajectory of sexual abuse victims
includes a disproportionate risk of mental and physical illness, financial insecurity and criminal
victimization and perpetration (Gilbert et al., 2009), at which point adult survivors find them

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entangled within the criminal justice system. Survivors may find themselves entangled within the
criminal justice system and other punitive institutions in a range of ways.
The issue of abuse can be in the form of emotional, sexual as well as physical. In this
regard, the physical abuse includes shooting, drowning, biting, throwing, suffocating or
intentionally mistreating a child. Neglect or emotional abuse is manifested through persistent
rejection and criticism of a child while sexual abuse is the exploitation of a child through
different ways such as incest, parent molestation, and rape (Felitti et al., 2013). Some of the
sexual abuse signs include the child reporting having difficulty in sitting or walking. The child
may also show extremes in behaviors such as having demanding behavior, aggression or extreme
passivity that make him or her attempt to commit suicide or harm them.
The different kinds of abuse exposed to children make them develop delinquent
behaviors due to childhood frustrations or the current trauma. According to the Children’s Law
Office of South Carolina (Dubowitz and Guterman, 2010), it is reported that more than 31 South
Carolina counties indicated a rise in the number of juveniles placed under detention. In 2007, it
was approximated that 3.2 million referrals that involved the maltreatment of an estimation of
5.8 million children were referred to CPS agencies. Likewise, Malinsky-Rummell, Robin and
David Hansen (2015) also revealed that out of 4.7 million victimizations by single offenders,
about 16.8 percent of the offenders were perceived to range between twelve and seventeen.
Mocan, Naci, and Erdal (2010) also indicate that out of 1.2 victimizations by multiple offenders,
34.9 percent of the offenders ranged between twelve and twenty.
Based on this information, there are an enormous number of abused children as well as
children victimizers. There is a need to focus on this issue in the United States because many
people perceive this crime as a non-issue. Why focus on juvenile between the age of 14 and 17

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years? Is the most asked question by people. This is because, at these ages, most teens become
rebellious and act contrary to expectations. Some individuals assume that most of the abused
teens always have a lot of freedom that allows them to participate in deviant criminal acts
because of less supervision. Peer pressure is also prevalent at these ages.
This paper seeks to investigate and elaborate on the United States juveniles that range
between fourteen and seventeen that are in juvenile detention centers that have been abused
sexually, physically and emotionally in their childhood. The paper will further explore the
impact of effective therapy for delinquents. In most cases, people believe that children turn to
crime because they were abused, but people should be made to understand that not all abused
teens react to the abuse in a violent manner. The social importance of this study is to
acknowledge that these children ought to receive some assistance before they become adults and
possibly end up in prison. The first step to assist these children is to study them first. The study
will open doors for resources for the abused children such as effective counseling that can be
offered for them to fully recover from their previous abuse. When the relationship between the
abused children and child offenders is recognized, it will provide an opportunity to assist
children before they become deviant criminals.
Literature Review
The connection between youngster misuse and delinquent teens has been unnoticed for
quite some time. There have been extensive studies that have been conducted on abuse and
delinquency each indicating a different kind of results. In the Australia Institute of Family
Studies, a survey was carried on women to discuss the male sexual violence against children and
women (Pelton, 2014). The researchers depended on the records of the number of people who
were arrested for sexual-related crimes. From the survey that was done, it was concluded that

ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 5
about 10 percent of the alleged offenders were juveniles. Drake, Brett, and Shanta (2016) further
argue that the sexual offending pattern always starts in adolescence and many adolescent sex
offenders go on to continue with this form of sexual violence in adulthood. As much as juveniles
accounted for only 10 percent of the alleged offenders, the study proved that such behavior is
acquired at this early age.
According to the study conducted by Minnesota Student Survey on about 131,000 public
school students, it was reported that 4.8 percent males and 1.3 percent of females admitted of
being forced into a sexual act by someone (Siegel, Jane, and Linda, 2013). Additionally, the
study indicated that about 46.7 percent of the males as well as 4.5 percent of females were
sexually abused by family members. The results also revealed that 3.1 percent of girls and 14.4
percent were physically abused and 25.2 percent of boys and 12.4 percent of girls admitted to
being gang members (Simons et al., 2016). It was concluded that many of these perpetrators
abused themselves as well as engaged in deviant violent behavior.
Another study examined by (Smith and Thornberry, 2017) explored the effects of child
maltreatment. The study majorly focused on the Child Protective Services cases and the study
showed that children who were traumatized sexually or physically increased the risk of
developing numerous varieties of psychiatric disorders. This study indicated that 12 percent of
the boys and 11 percent of the girls who were sexually abused experienced a major depression.
From this research, a total of 21 percent had conduct disorders and 36 percent had oppositional
defiant disorder (Smith and Thornberry, 2017). The study vividly indicates that the abused
children not only experience depression as a proven indicator but also experience behavioral
problems.

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Deblinger (2007) conducted a study that incorporated gender as well as child
maltreatment. It was identified from this study that psychological and emotional abuse is some of
the reason for bullying. The study further suggests that numerous bullies feel to have control
over others because someone made them feel the same way. Wallace et al (2011) assert the cycle
of abuse. From his investigations, he concludes that the female who had been victimized are
predictors of becoming perpetrators. Cohen et al. (2014) argue that the adolescent offenders who
had been victimized before the age of 5 are twice likely to abuse someone younger than the age
of 5. They further conclude that the male who had been abused by males are likely to abuse
another male and those abused by a relative are also more likely to do the same on their relatives.
With regard to the children exposed to violence, a national survey was used. The study
affirms that the greater part of the kids in the general public are presented to brutality in their day
by day lives and about 10 percent have suffered from child maltreatment (Widom, 2009a). The
child maltreatment may revolve around neglect, physical abuse, abduction, and emotional abuse.
The study carried out by Cicchetti, Dante, and Rogosch (2011) attempt to connect the child’s
exposure to violence and those who conduct the violence as they get older. The children’s law
office also reveals that educational neglect is included in the United States definition of child
abuse.
Neglect or child abuse happens when a guardian or a parent responsible for the welfare of
the child fails to provide sufficient clothing, education, shelter and clothing to the child (Widom,
2014). In this regard, educational neglect is defined as not giving children education as required
by the law. Frequent absenteeism along with inappropriate clothing, failure to receive medical
care and poor hygiene and excessive sleep during the day is signs of a child being neglected
educationally. As much as educational neglect is seen as a serious abuse, emotional, physical and

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sexual abuse is some of the contributing factors. This neglect makes juveniles to become truant
and makes them participate in other delinquent acts.
The connection between abuse and delinquency has been supported by some theories of
delinquency. Some of the theories that support delinquency include social learning, trait, social
control, and general strain theories. According to the social control theory, disrupting the normal
relationship and existing socialization, maltreatment minimizes the social connection and makes
people to be involved in deviance. The social learning theory, on the other hand, stipulates that
abuse can prompt wrongdoing since it instructs youngsters that savagery and animosity are the
legitimate types of practices. These behaviors may result in positive outcomes in children such as
control over others, social benefits and the acquisition of materials.
Additionally, the Social-Psychological strain hypothesis shows that misuse builds up the
negative emotional states that are connected to outrage, strain and also well hostility. The
characteristic hypothesis expresses that young people who have been mishandled are probably
going to build up a few indications of mental abnormality that is connected to antisocial
behaviors (Zingraff et al., 2013). The researchers conducted by several researchers have proven
to be of significance and relevance. It has been concluded from the various research that
juveniles grouped as delinquent, particularly those in the system act out their frustration from an
abusive past.
The various forms of abuse on children are traumatic. The effects of abuse include
helplessness, delayed or unconvincing disclosure, powerlessness, betrayal, and stigmatization.
Agnew (2012) also asserts that physically abused children are likely to be arrested on violent
crimes. Some negative outcomes that emanate from abuse include educational problems, public
health and safety issues and mental health concerns (Malinsky-Rummell, Robin and David

ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 8
Hansen, 2015). Prior studies have been utilized to identify the relationship between abuse and
juvenile delinquents in the United States. As noted in some studies, being mishandled does not
ensure a real existence of wrongdoing but rather it increases odds of a reprobate enemy of social
way of life (Bernstein, 2016). There has been inadequate research concerning abuse and
delinquency in most part of the United States but the increased rates of detention centers have
revealed that there exists a relationship between juvenile delinquents and the history of the
abuse. Educational neglect has been regarded as another form of abuse that affects the child
physically, emotionally and traumatically.
The abusive issue cannot be treated if it is not reported. In most cases, children do not
report how they are abused. When the issue of maltreatment is recognized on the children,
delinquency has already progressed toward being part of their way of life. More so, numerous
abused youth are likely to participate in delinquent acts in order to do away with abusive home-
life. Instead of participating in negative activities, positive activities ought to be developed to an
appropriate alternative. Some states such as the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice
have developed the Teen After-School Centre Program that gives chance for the juvenile to
participate in (Lochner, Lance, and Enrico Moretti, 2014). The program aims to reach those
juveniles that are at risk between the age of twelve and seventeen.
The aim of this program is to ensure that children have better school attendance as well as
to improve their grades. It also encourages children to become role models as well as appreciate
their community. Notably, the student who participates in extracurricular activities is likely to
have better results, lower truancy rates and always reach higher levels of achievement. The South
Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centres is another organization that has worked to
assist abused youth (Kendler et al., 2008). The organization ensures that every child suspected of

ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 9
being abused receives better services. The association is child-centered network community-
oriented and office-based program that enable numerous delegates from numerous fields to meet,
talk about and make suggestions about the security, examination, and arraignment of youngsters
abuse cases.
Conclusion
From this study, it can be concluded that the negative impacts of child abuse and
delinquency are real and are not artifacts of dysfunctional families. It has been found that
maltreatment of the child is twice the probability of a child to participate in numerous types of
crime and the effects are worse in children. Sexual abuse has the largest effects on crime and this
is justified in the literature above and media. The chances of participating in crime can increase
if a person has experienced multiple forms of child abuse. Criminal behaviors may not only
increase with child abuse incidences but also with the severity of the maltreatment. Abused
children ought to be supported in order to deal with trauma or they may continue being
delinquent. More people are required to report the abuse of the child to relevant authorities.
When the problem is identified earlier, children will be offered necessary counseling to deal with
the abuse appropriately. Counseling or therapy programs are ideal to assist in rehabilitating
delinquent youths. Creative programs should also be developed to reduce youth crimes.

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