IMPACT OF URBANIZATION ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY: A STUDY OF MUZAFFARBAD JAIL

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency is not a new phenomenon but urban growth has made it worst by changing the structure of the society. The present study was designed to study the impact of urbanization on juvenile delinquency. This study aimed to find out the causes associated with urbanization that lead towards juvenile delinquency.  Qualitative research design was used to study the impact of urbanization on juvenile delinquency. Case study method was employed to study the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency. Researcher used a purposive sampling technique and selected four young offenders from District Jail Muzaffarabad for data collection. Social learning theory supposes that adolescents develop the attitudes and skills necessary to become delinquents through their sustained contact with other lawbreakers. Juvenile’s exposure to delinquent attitudes and skills increases their tendency to also imitate such behaviours. Present study explored various causes of juvenile delinquency related with urbanization which are; deviant peer association, urban poverty and relative deprivation, lack of self-control and parental supervision and easy access to illegal means.