De La Salle University Dasmariñas

College of Liberal Arts and Communication

Social Science Department

NON02
SPEECH,DEBATE AND ARGUMENTATION
(Individual Journal Article)

Proposition:
“Resolved, that juvenile delinquencies must be put into jail.”

Rationale:
Juvenile delinquency is also known as teenage crime. It is like any crime that human beings
commit but these crime differ becasue they are committed by young people. Before coming of age
girls and boys have less understanding of the world. Parents, friends and teachers are all responsible
along with the juvenile who commit a crime. This is why courts do not punish the teenagers like
they punish the adults when they commit a crime. Most early studies compared juveniles who were
processed by juvenile courts with the general population or to groups of nondelinquents. Such cases
were considered to be biased, however, usually because they were based on nonscientific samples
of youths who committed (or did not commit) delinquent offenses. Research that utilized interview
and questionnaire responses gathered from representative samples of youths had become the
dominant method for studying juvenile delinquency by the 1970s. Such research generally confirms
higher rates of delinquency among the following groups: (1) boys rather than girls, especially for
the most serious offenses, (2) minority youths for major property and violent offenses, (3) youths
with delinquent peers, (4) youths who have dropped out of school or who have difficulties in
school, (5) youths whose parents neither communicate with them nor monitor their activities, (6)
youths who do not accord moral authority to the law and its representatives, (7) youths who exhibit
little empathy or concern for the effects of their actions on others, (8) youths whose parents have
committed offenses or have exhibited violence in relationships within the family. Therefore, do
juvenile delinquencies must be put into jail or not? Does this type of punishment deter the criminals
from doing such unnecessary acts? Does this decrease the criminal rates in the nation?

Stock issues provided in the journal:

There are 4 essential stock analysis / issues provided in this article namely: need for change,
inherency of the need for change, plan (proposal) as solution, desirability of plan.

1. NEED FOR CHANGE - Yes! There is a need for change. But this article clearly shows that
this change must not be through punishment similar to the adults such as putting these youths into
jail. Thus, the complete change or solution to this controversial issue is to observe proper guidance
to these young criminals - a guidance observed by their parents, friends, and teachers. They are all
responsible along with the juvenile who commit a crime. This is why courts do not punish the
teenagers like they punish the adults when they commit a crime. There are separate juvenile courts
and the purpose of juvenile punishment is to help the teenager understand the importance of staying
away from crimes. Such incidents about juvenile crimes happened not only here in the Philippines
but also in abroad. Therefore, this article truly justifies that there is a need for change since these
happenings are quite alarming nowadays.

2. INHERENCY OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE - the lack of proper guidance to these
juveniles is so important an crucial in itself that something has to be done. We all know that family
are responsible to teach values and lessons to their children; thus, they are entitled to make their
child’s values and set norms of the society. Poverty, which is considered to be the roots of all
problems and issues in the country may not be eradicated easily. So I can truly justify that, when
there is poverty , there would still be juvenile delinquents prowling all over the city. The least we
can do is to lessen their increasing population by, of course, implementing those schemes.

3. PROPOSAL TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM - putting these youths into jail is not the best way
to solve the problem - to stop juvenile delinquencies. Therefore, Family should have a positive
attitude towards life and towards society. Parents and elder siblings should show the children
positive values, norms and standards of the society in this way the children will be able to show the
right behavior to the society. Family is the role model of every child and model behavior the parents
and siblings can give motivation to the child to behave positively. Government should support
families that have poor economic status so they can improve their financial condition. Parents
should also teach children the importance of respecting laws that they observe equality of rights,
justice and condemn discrimination.

4. DESIRABILITY OF PLAN - the plan of action does not bring about new problems. Rest assured
that the Philippine Laws created an Act that would secure the rights of the juveniles and give them
chances to change as well as to be an advocate for the betterment of the society.
- Republic Act No. 9394 - This act states that the state recognizes the vital role of children and
youth in nation building and shall promote their physical, moral spiritual, intellectual and social
well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism and encourage their
involvement in public and civic affairs. Pursuant to Article 40 of the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child, the state recognizes the right of every child alleged as accused of adjudged,
or recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a manner consistent with the
promotion of the child’s sense of dignity and worth, taking into account the child’s age and
desirability of promoting his reintegration. It shall ensure that children are dealt with in a manner
appropriate to their well-being by providing for among others, a variety of disposition measure such
as care, guidance, and supervision orders, counseling, foster care, education and vocational training
programs and other alternative institutional care.

Major thesis given in this article to prove the points in the issue:

 THESIS STATEMENT: There are various theories of juvenile delinquency and various
researchers have reported different reasons of delinquency. Most of the delinquent teenagers
belong from low social, economical or psychological background.

I. Family
1.The basic socialization agency for children.
2.Family can break the personality of the children.
3.Family can make their values and set norms of the society.

II. Peer Group Influence

1. Peer group is a very strong force that can cause delinquent behavior in the adolescents.
2. Peer group rejection can also be the cause of juvenile delinquency.

III. Society
 1. Society itself sometimes become very negative and create difficulties for the youth.
2. Developing negative feeling from the society can become a reason behind juvenile
delinquencies.
3. Create difficulties for the youth.
4. Society is a strong force in developing personality of the teens.

IV. Solution
1. Family should have a positive attitude towards life and towards society.
2. Parents and elder siblings should show the children positive values, norms and standards of the
society in this way the children will be able to show the right behavior to the society.
3. Government should support families that have poor economic status so they can improve their
financial condition.

The Significant of the journal:

3. The significant of this journal is to enlighten us that there is a need for a change. And this change
must be done through the guidance of the family, proper implementation of the rules and by
stopping the main source of poverty. A youth for the sake of being part of something that could
protect him will join a gang and throw chaos to the society that reject him; a youth who just wants
to experience his miserable life will do foolish crimes; an innocent youth yet dangerous; a naive
youth yet matured; a youth supposed to study at school, expected to to be the next leader, an asset
turned a liability of our society... It is unfair. This means, this calls for a help of the whole society to
be in the diversion of children away from committing crimes can be conducted. This includes
community development. These are just few of the possible way of helping juveniles. Simple yet
effective.
The issue calls for the help of the whole society to be in charge for the guidance of these future
generations. A community based schemes for the diversion of children away from committing
crimes can be conducive. This includes care, guidance, counseling, foster care and training, social
activities and community development. These are just a possible way of helping juveniles and not
putting them into jail.

Prepared by:
Maria Aubrey B.Villamor
(NEGATIVE SIDE)
PSC22