TITLE: JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES

AUTHOR: Alcantara, Catherine Joy R.

catherinejoyalcantara@yahoo.com Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology - 1st Semester

DATE: December 2019

Way back 1900’s, scientists and researchers rely solely on their experiment and observations in
answering and providing theoretical statements without the use of computer technology. With that, the
application of computer technology in the modern world is appropriate in terms of using it in a proper
way—without harming other people such as bullying in social media, identity theft and etc. It is also
useful because one can find useful information on the internet without undergoing in a long process
such as experimenting and observing. However, the application of computer technology can be
improved but it will always have a good and negative outcome. Of course, it will make it easier for the
people to search right away the information they needed but somehow, their identity and personal
information on the internet is not safe from thieves because as the technology improves, the way of
thinking of people in the modern world is also improving when it comes to technology. So that, the
researcher wants the reader to learn on how to criticize news and classify it as fake or legitimate one in
order for them to be not be fooled by those people behind the internet. In addition, for them to be
aware on the current situation happening in the Philippines regarding juvenile delinquency and
stereotyping with regards to this issue. In answering the possible reasons behind juvenile delinquency
in Manila, Philippines and the problems with regards to juvenile justice, the researcher identify first the
problems with juvenile justice wherein the Republic Act 9344 under Section 6 contradicts the bill that
lowering the minimum age when it comes to responsibility in crime from eighteen years old to twelve
years old (18-12 years old) and the absence of counsel for the minor in order for them to realize that
their actions always have consequences. With that, numerous minors are growing into adulthood in
many municipal and provincial jail. Next are the causes and reasons behind why children or teenagers
become juvenile delinquents—where they experience bad family relationship, lack of communication
between the parent and the child, lack of finances, lack of social and moral training and substance abuse
such as use of drugs, alcohol and etc. In dealing with these problems, there are available solutions in
order to prevent the proliferation of juvenile delinquents in the Philippines such as education,
recreational activities and parent-child interaction. In conclusion, the children—including teenagers
needed the support and guidance of their parents in making a decision and executing such actions that
may have either good or bad result. The parent must be a role model to their children in response to
different situations without the use of anger, violence and etc. that may affect the way of thinking of
their child. With that, they can create a harmless and safe environment not just for themselves but also
to those people around them.
Is Neighborhood Context Differently Related to Externalizing Problems and Delinquency for Girls
Compared With Boys? Author: Leoniek Kroneman, Rolf Loeber, Alison E. Hipwell1

There is fairly consistent evidence for higher rates of both minor as well as serious conduct problems
and delinquent behaviors among girls residing in disadvantaged compared with more advantaged
neighborhoods. The neighborhood effects associated with female problem behavior however tend to
besmall to moderate in magnitude and may become more pronounced in adolescence compared with
childhood. Like boys, girls living in disadvantaged neighborhoods compared to those in advantaged
neighborhoods tend to be exposed to a higher number of risk factors, including exposure to violence
(community violence as well as intrafamilial violence), family dysfunction, and the influence of deviant
peers. It seems plausible however that these neighborhood effects differ for girls compared with boys,
because girls on an average experience a later onset of delinquency than boys do, are more likely to
display aggression within, rather than outside, the confines of the family, and girls’ social interactions
with peers in neighborhoods are less often manifested by involvement in gangs. Indeed, studies indicate
that boys’ and girls’ delinquent behavior may be differently affected by neighborhood risk factors.
Considering direct effects, girls seem to be more affected by certain neighborhood-related risk factors
than boys, such as the proportion of single-parent families in the neighborhood and the presence of
more affluent neighbors. Also, girls seem to be affected differently by indirect, or mediating,
neighborhood factors compared with boys. Even though research findings on the mediating role of
parenting practices between neighborhood quality and girls’ problem behavior are inconclusive, there is
some evidence to suggest that parents monitor girls more closely than boys, girls tend to spend more
time at home and are more affected by family disruptions. These family-level characteristics may mean,
for example, that the influence of deviant peers is less prominent for girls relative to boys. Thus, the
extent to which parents promote or counteract antisocial influences in the community may be an
important component for understanding the processes by which disadvantaged neighborhoods place
girls at risk for the development of problem behavior. Considering affiliation with deviant peers, much
remains unclear about the ways in which this may mediate neighborhood effects on girls’ delinquent
behavior. It is known that girls’ and boys’ friendship groups, patterns, and activities develop differently
over childhood and adolescence. Girls typically enter mixed-age and mixed-sex peer groups earlier than
boys, which, in more disadvantaged neighborhoods, may lead to increased exposure to delinquent
males (and associated risks for female delinquency and teenage pregnancies). Yet research consistently
shows that boys affiliate more with deviant peers. These potentially contradictory findings may simply
reflect the fact that delinquent behavior is more prevalent among boys despite living in the same
neighborhood as girls. Our review also seems to suggest that boys are more strongly influenced by
neighborhood effects than are girls. Possible explanations are that boys report a greater number of
playmates in the neighborhood, boys tend to play more out of the home, and boys report greater
affiliation with the neighborhood in which they reside. It should be noted, that some studies do not find
gender differences in neighborhood effects on problem behavior (e.g. Kupersmidt et al., 1995; Plybon &
Kliewer, 2001). However, many of the studies reviewed suffer from relatively small sample sizes and
broad age ranges that, in large part, account for inconsistent results.

In summary, the number of research studies that focus on gender differences in the effects of
neighborhood quality on delinquent behavior is small, and for that reason conclusions must remain
tentative. The processes by which neighborhood factors influence female behavior, both directly and
indirectly, need to be better understood. Priority should be given to the formulation of a theoretical
framework for the development of delinquent behavior in girls, that can then stimulate research.
Although there is very little female-specific longitudinal research, studies suggest that various
pathways/trajectories to delinquent behavior in girls exist. Thus, a small group of girls, just like boys,
experience an early onset of disruptive behavior (C ˆot´e et al., 2001; Fergusson & Horwood, 2002;
Hipwell et al., 2002a) and their behavior shows a relatively stable pattern (C ˆot´e et al., 2001; Fergusson
& Horwood, 2002). These girls may be particularly at risk for negative long-term outcomes, including
teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, and involvement in delinquent behavior. However, girls’
early disruptive behavior may differ from boys’ early disruptive behavior (Zoccolillo, 1993) and this also
needs to be taken into account when making comparisons of effects by gender. Many of the questions
raised here should be addressed in future longitudinal studies of girls residing in disadvantaged and
advantaged neighborhoods.