Children and teenagers are committing more and more crimes in many countries. Why is this happening? How can we stop or at least reduce youth crime?

Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of crimes committed by teenagers. There are several reasons for

this

and the most important among them is the influence of the media. Poverty and illiteracy

also

encourage many teens to get into

crime

. Young people committing serious crimes should receive the same punishment as adults.

That is

the most effective way to curb juvenile

crime

. Young people who watch a lot of violent programmes on television and the internet have higher chances of getting into

crime

than their peers who do not watch

such

shows. Juveniles have impressionable minds and as

such

it is quite easy for them to get influenced by what they watch. Needless to say, they commit crimes without even fully understanding the consequences of their action. The family background is another major influence on children. Children coming from poor or dysfunctional families are more likely to get involved in anti-social activities. Oftentimes, they do not have a role model in life and get into bad company. Peer pressure is another factor that influences children. Youngsters may pick up habits like smoking or drinking under the influence of their peers. They may even steal money to have the same lifestyle as their friends. Giving the right punishment is crucial for dealing with juvenile

crime

. Young people committing heinous crimes should be treated like adults and receive the same punishment. In many countries,

this

is not the case and juveniles are treated leniently.

This

has to change. Stringent punishments will automatically act as a deterrent and force teens to think twice before they do something illegal. Parents and teachers can

also

play an important role in checking juvenile

crime

. Parents should monitor their children’s activities and the company they keep. In conclusion,

crime

is

crime whether

Suggestion

a crime, whether

a crime whether

it is committed by a teenager or an adult. The only way to control teenage

crime

rates is to enforce strict laws that make teenagers think twice before breaking the law.