Many theories concerning the causes of juvenile delinquency(crimes committed by young people)focus either on the individual or on society as the major contributing influence.Theories centering on the individual suggest that children engage in criminal behavior because they were not sufficiently penalized for previous misdeeds or that they have learned criminal behavior through interactions with others. Theories focusing on the role of society suggest that children commit crimes in response to their failure to rise above their socioeconomic status or as a rejection of middle-class values.
Most theories of juvenile delinquency have focused on children from disadvantaged families, ignoring the fact that children from wealthy homes also commit crimes. The latter may commit crimes for lack of adequate parental control.Alltheories, however, are tentative and are subject to criticism.
Changes in the social structure may indirectly affect juvenile crime rates. For example, changes in the economy that lead to fewer job opportunities for youth and rising unemployment in general make gainful employmentincreasingly difficult to obtain. The resulting discontent may in turn lead more youths into criminal behavior.