Juveniles are no more soft hearted, obedient, innocent people. They are now taking drugs, hijacking, carrying arms, involving in drug business, and doing murder, abduction, theft and other sorts of crimes. Worldwide all the societies are experiencing the same brutal reality. It is indeed a matter of worry that a large portion of young generation is becoming delinquent. While this problem is faced by almost all the societies, it can easily be said that somehow the existing social structure is responsible for that. Juveniles are the most responsive part of the society. They respond in any social problem like none other does. That is why youngsters are affected most by the trauma of any social change or transition. In reaction of such social incidents, young people often slip from their regular tracks and become delinquent. Sociologists thus blame the transitional modern societies responsible for emerging juvenile delinquent behavior.
They claim that it started from the period of industrial revolution in the earlier 19th century. At that time western people experienced a huge and rapid social transition from agro-based societies to a modern industrial one. Mass people especially the younger could not cope up with that sudden change in their life styles, social and economic disorganization at all. Urban life, modern opportunities, available money and consumer goods, social and economic inequalities, class oriented social structure allowed them to lead a more free life and to create their own distinct subculture. In those capitalist societies, as individuals were given the highest priority, family and social ties started getting loose and consequently youngsters lacked proper social guidance for a moral and healthy life. The emerging youth subculture was contradictory with social norms and values and ultimately they were in conflict with the law.[1] That problem of juvenile society has been continuing for long and still now it is emerging along with some new dimensions or effects of information technology.
In this global reality, our society in Bangladesh has no exception. Youths of Bangladesh are also in vulnerability of being delinquent. Our society is now facing the same reality what happened a century ago in western societies. Bangladeshi society is now in a transitional position of being industrial from its traditional agro-based pattern. Now it is neither an agricultural nor a fully fledged industrial urban society. In these circumstances Bangladeshies are now practicing a mixed culture which has caused a social disorganization in our society. Children and juveniles are the first and foremost victims of this decaying social system. The undergoing change is affecting their life so much that they often could not go with it and involving in conflict with those social norms as well as with the law. As a result, juvenile delinquency is increasing in Bangladesh especially in an alarming rate in Dhaka city. One responsible source of police claimed that, 40 percent of the arrested criminals are juveniles.[2] It is commonly said that social transition, poverty, migration, broken families, surrounding environment, lack of parental control, impact of action movies and computer games are responsible for causing juvenile delinquency in Bangladesh.
