Abstract

Delinquency is a generic term used to label a variety of petty offences committed by young individuals. Although these crimes have been labelled as petty or offences of a less serious kind they nevertheless consist of antisocial behaviours which sometimes cause undue distress to other people. Adolescents loitering in the streets dealing drugs to children are not only enacting an illicit antisocial act but are behaving in a morally offensive way. A child who continuously knocks on his neighbour’s door then runs away is not committing a crime. If, however, this behaviour causes the neighbour to have a ‘nervous breakdown’ then a moral transgression has occurred. Antisocial behaviour can also be perceived as deviant. As Taylor points out, ‘Differentiating between criminal behaviour and what is simply considered antisocial, deviant or morally offensive behaviour is a difficult task’ (p. 49). There are many different types of delinquent crimes such as shoplifting, petty burglary, vandalism and criminal damage but delinquency can also take the form of loitering in gangs, drunk and disordered behaviour and being disruptive at antisocial hours.