Assessment of delinquent behavior among adolescents  and role of pediatrician in its window zone

Dr. Abhay Kumar Choudhary; Dr. Pritesh Goutam; Dr. Rituja Kaushal

Volume : V, Issue : III, March - 2016

Assessment of delinquent behavior among adolescents and role of pediatrician in its window zone

Dr. Abhay Kumar Choudhary, Dr. Pritesh Goutam, Dr. Rituja Kaushal

Abstract :

Juvenile Delinquency and its increased prevalence is an alarming situation for current India as it is engulfing a proportion of its future citizens in their early teens. Objectives: This is high time to analyze magnitude & evaluate various risk factors and deep rooted social determinants causing it. Also there is a great need to find out medical methods for age assessment & cognitive maturity of delinquent children to help juvenile justice court. Study design, setting & participants: A cross sectional analytical study was planned in government schools located near our health facility- to find out prevalence and risk factors linked with this problem. A self-reported delinquency scale with attached proforma for risk factors was provided to 200 students (all males) of 12-20 years in different government schools. Outcomes: Results were analyzed in terms of prevalence (10.5%) & distribution of various risk factors for delinquency (0.5%-2%) in the study population. Conclusion: Due to many limitations it was concluded that more & more such multi centric studies should be undertaken in different parts of the country in order to get the real picture of the problem & to implement corrective measures to overcome it.