The Reasons Behind Juvenile Delinquency in the Jordanian Community: An Empirical Study on Inmates in Osama Bin Zaid's Center

Abstract

This study seeks to identify the causes behind juvenile delinquency and their committing crimes in the Jordanian community. The population of the study consisted of (95) juveniles at Osama Bin Zaid’s juvenile center in (2019). The study resorted to and used the comprehensive social survey method, and it used a questionnaires as it is a suitable tool for collecting data. The results this study reached to are as follows. Firstly, most of the delinquent juveniles in Osama Bin Zaid's Center, most of whom are Jordanians, had low educational level (below middle stage), with low religious influence and low family income. Also, those juveniles lived within troubled families and under an authoritarian relationship. Secondly, juvenile delinquency in the Jordanian community can be attributed mainly to the internal environment (the juvenile's family) which is presented in the absence of direction and guidance , as well as the family neglecting its kids, in addition to the low-income of the family and the lack of monitoring or care form the family side, as well as the constant quarrels and fights. Thirdly, some external reasons can influence delinquency, such as peer imitation, bad companionship, the easiness to have drugs, alcohol, temptations and social media. Fourthly, some reasons behind delinquency are personal and related to the juveniles themselves, the most important of which are: the desire to revenge from others, the feeling of hatred and confrontation for others, the desire to challenge and show oneself, and their desire to experience new experiences. Lastly, the highest-rated offences committed by juveniles were: robberies, indecent assaults, fights and drugs. In contrast, murder was the least committed crime.