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Delinquent
children
By Dr. Harnek S. Kaile
Delinquency means anti-social behaviour. The
behaviour of problem children is also anti-social, but the motive of
their deeds is hidden. If they are not dealt with properly, they become
delinquent and indulge intentionally in misdeeds. They commit offences
like thefts, pick pocketing, cheating, intoxicating, vagrancy and sexual
offences.
According to a survey, the main cause of delinquency among children is
misbehaviour by parents or stepparents. Complications arise in the mind of
the child and he takes to stealing, vagrancy etc. A child was caught
stealing from his uncle's house. It was found that his parents were dead
and his uncle had turned him out of house. He started doing some odd job
in a far off town, but always had ill feeling for his uncle and it assumed
the form of theft. Children
in the broken homes, where husband and wife are separated or one of them
is dead, also become delinquent.
Sometimes, parents adopt discriminatory attitude towards their children.
Children, who are always rebuked or called bad names, are likely to
become delinquent. Also, generally the eldest child is considered
responsible and the youngest, affectionate but the middle one is ignored,
with the result that signs of delinquency begin to appear in him.
Needs of the child remain unfulfilled because of poverty and he takes to
immoral and illegal deeds. A child didn't get pocket money because his
parents were poor and he remained upset. One day, a man gave him one rupee
and taught him the manner of stealing things from neighbours' houses. The
child stole something or the other for that man who, in turn, gave him a
five or ten rupee note. Later, the child was caught red handed while
stealing somebody's watch. Likewise, another child stole five hundred
rupees from his father's pocket and went to Delhi where he was caught
loafing. He had spent all his money on seeing films and eating delicious
food. He didn't get pocket money and was upset when he saw other children
spending money on eatables during recess. He had given vent to his
feelings through stealing.
The neighbourhood of drunkards and gamblers has a bad effect upon the
child. If the friends of the child are pickpockets and thieves and indulge
in sexual offences, the child will also become like them. In Healy's view,
34% of delinquency is because of bad company.
In the films, there are scenes, which lead the child to delinquency.
Sometimes, parents don’t discourage their children from doing
delinquent acts. If the child brings home something for which he doesn't
tell from where he has got it and parents don’t disapprove his act, he
feels encouraged to repeat such activities.
In Tredgold's view, the main cause of crime is inborn moral weakness.
According to a survey, 67% delinquent girls belong to immoral families.
In Burt's opinion, mental instability leads to delinquency. About 80% of
delinquency is because of low IQ. But, sometimes, children of high IQ also
become delinquent. They find their courses quite easy. There is nothing to
keep their fertile brain busy and it becomes devil's workshop.
Lack of proper discipline also makes a child delinquent. If discipline is
loose, the child will become self-centered and if it is harsh, he may
rebel against it and do something anti-social.
Harsh attitude of teachers, wrong methods of teaching, indiscipline, lack
of sex education, failure etc also leads a child to evil deeds.
Delinquent children should be dealt with properly. For this, the parents
should be educated because most of the problems of children begin at home.
Many times, delinquent children have problem parents. At the end of his
book 'Problem Children', famous psychologist A.S. Neill says that schools
should be opened for the education of problem parents.
The parents should take proper care of their children, make all efforts to
fulfill their needs, guide them properly and keep a watch on their
friends. Though pocket money should be given to them, yet it should not be
much because otherwise they will form bad habits like smoking, gambling,
drinking etc. They should be told to bear in mind that stealing is a crime
and encouraged to return the things stolen by them.
School has an immense effect upon the personality of the child. The
teacher should have adequate knowledge about each and every child, his
early years, and relations with parents, brothers and sisters and
socio-economic conditions. If a child is in the habit of stealing,
cheating, vagrancy etc., the teacher should adopt sympathetic attitude
towards him and not start beating him straightway. If the child steals
things because of poverty, he should be given books, clothes etc. out of
some school fund.
The children should be educated keeping in view their needs, abilities and
interests.
Proper arrangements should be made for games and cultural activities
because these help in channelising the children’s boundless energy in
proper directions.
The teacher should adopt effective methods of teaching. He should inspire
the children and make his lesson interesting by using various teaching
aids. Moral values should be stressed upon and, for doing this; the
teacher should act as a model before the children. He should understand
the child and inculcate such qualities in him, through proper guidance, as
everybody should be proud of him.
DR.HARNEK
SINGH KAILE, Ph.D.(Education), M.Phil(Education), M.Ed., M.A.(English),
M.A.(Punjabi) has 28 years' experience as a lecturer in a college of
education, and is presently Principal, G.H.G.Kh. College of
Education, Gurusar Sudhar, Distt Ludhiana (Pb.) India. He has published
many research papers, including Bharti Sikhya Churahe Te (in Punjabi)
which has been translated into English and is being serialised here.
Dr Kaile
can be reached by e-mail at mailto:
hskaile42@hotmail.com
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