Exploring juvenile delinquency: Violence as perceived and justified by juvenile delinquents

• Main Authors: Bassig, Maria Roxanne B., Fevidal, Anne Marie Nicole, Robeniol, Gabriel Antonio D.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Juvenile delinquency > Philippines
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8092
• Institution: De La Salle University

Crimes are on the rise and nowadays these crimes are committed not only by adults but by children as well. There are a lot of possible reasons why children commit these crimes, and these reasons will be the main focus of this study. This study discusses the influence of different factors surrounding a child that may negatively affect the child's psychological development. In this study, the population consists of Filipino juvenile delinquents whose ages range from 15-18 years old. They were interviewed through a focus group discussion facilitated by the researchers. Data from the interviews have been analyzed using a three-phased variant of the Grounded Theory. The study found out that most juveniles perceive violence as a way of survival. Most of them also believed that violence is justified when they use this as a means to survive, for example, to gather needed financial resources or as a method of protecting themselves and their loved ones. As long as juveniles are continuously exposed to violence and to have reason to commit them, they would continue to rely of violence as their primary mode of survival.