A juvenile delinquency offense is an act committed by a minor for which an adult would be tried in a criminal court. New statistics paint an alarming picture: juvenile delinquency is higher than ever. According to the Census Bureau, in 2008, 1,653,000 crimes were recorded in the United States. This is an increase of 23.6% compared to 1990, when 1,337,000 crimes were committed. Today, many people are calling for a lowering of the age of criminal responsibility and draconian sanctions (Jenson & Howard, 1998; Melton, Petrila, Poythress, Slobogin, 2007). These individuals react to this obvious social crisis by trying to combat the phenomenon by alleviating the symptoms but without considering the causes which are socially created. When trying to combat this phenomenon, we must be aware of the social contexts of juvenile delinquency. Of course, the postulate of personal responsibility must be maintained, but statistics that show a significant relationship between socio-economic status and vulnerability to crime cannot be dismissed (Aaltonen, Kivivuori, & Martikainen, 2011). Only when these blatant injustices (e.g. the gap between rich and poor) are compensated can a reduction in crime be achieved (Aaltonen, Kivivuori, & Martikainen, 2011). However, economic problems are not the only ones that push minors to commit criminal acts. Additionally, broken families, often accompanied by alcoholism, unemployment, and high divorce rates, contribute to young people's lack of socialization (Wilson & Petersilia, 2011). Loneliness and increasing individualism prevent solidarity and compassion from developing (Mackenzie, 2008). The apathy and anonymity of big cities creates a lethargy and disorientation that suddenly...... middle of paper ......posowa, AJ (2009). Explaining gang involvement and delinquency among Asian Americans: An empirical test of general strain theory. Journal of Gang Research, 16, 1-33. United States Census Bureau. (2012). Law enforcement, courts and prisons: juvenile delinquency, child abuse (table 340). The Statistical Summary 2012. Accessed December 4, 2011 from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0340.pdfVon Hofer, H. (2000). Criminal violence and youth in Sweden: a long-term perspective. Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention, 1(1), 56-72. doi:10.1080/14043850050116264 Wilson, J. Q. & Petersilia, J. (2011). Crime and public policy. Oxford University Press. Zdun, S. (2008). Violence in street culture: A cross-cultural comparison of youth groups and criminal gangs. New Directions for Youth Development, (119), 39-54, 9. doi:10.1002/yd.272