CRIMINALITY AMONG YOUTH AND RECIDIVISM

Abstract

Criminality as a form of human behaviour is a phenomenon deserving continued study and research to enhance common weal, or at least to ensure trouble free society. The question of „nature‟ and „nurture‟, or role of biological factors and environmental factors in influencing human behaviour is relevant in the discussion of criminality as well. The rising trend of „youth in crime‟ calls for proper diagnosis of this social illness and search for viable remedies. It is against this background that the tendency of „young offenders‟ in the process of correction or having completed correctional treatment to fall back into crime is being studied. Is this on account of biological factors or has it more to do with the environment? Or is the correctional procedure itself the unwitting culprit criminalizing a „First Time Young Offender‟? What are the ways and means by which the correctional procedure can be made meaningful, re-forming and re-integrative?

Focusing on these research questions, primary data on “Criminality among Youth and Recidivism†was gathered from the Young Offenders residing in Ernakulam District (Kochi Corporation area) of Kerala state, who have served a term in the prison in the age group of 18 to 35 years, police officials and prison staff and secondary sources of data were books, journals, newspaper articles, records and websites. In an attempt to identify the factors that generate and perpetuate youth criminality, the study focused on four major areas – (a) Socio-economic background in the criminal behaviour of youth (b) Nature and recurrence of crime among youth (c) The influence of Alcohol/ Drugs in inducing criminal behaviour (d) The response of the police personnel regarding the first time offenders and their correction.

The study is descriptive in nature and the tools administered were Interview schedule for the youth and interview Guides for the correction staff. The study revealed the major factors that contributed to the criminality of individuals. Evidences of negligence in the protection of human rights and failure in giving psychological support services have detrimentally affected the reformative behaviour of the offenders. The findings highlight the need for discussing the How‟s and Why‟s of recidivism and is really an eye-opener on how our correctional institutions becomes a breeding ground for intense criminalities. Article attempts to point out the implications for professional social work practice in criminal justice and reformation.