Secondary Students Involve in Crime

A Form Five student in uniform was reportedly arrested for carjacking and abducting young children once again calls for the parents’ attention to the characters of their children. This is utmost important in order to prevent children from following the path of no return.

Most of the juvenile delinquencies occur in the city with parents’ neglect as the prime cause and followed by materialistic temptation and peer pressure.

Juvenile delinquency has become a social ill. Most of them lack of parental care and guidance, when influenced by the outside world or being impulsive, will behave mischievously. 

The facts that many students in the country are involved in illegal activities are undeniably true.

Teenage rebellion might be an influence but it is believed that there is more to that problem than meets the eye. An initial check on the family background and living condition might possibly reveal the real cause and prevention action can be taken at an earlier stage.

If the case of truancy and carjacking in school uniform is not enough to serve as wake-up call for remedial action be taken, the situation will worsen and become out of control later.

School can take disciplinary action on those who skip classes. However, when a student is absent from school for 2 consecutive days, the school must take step to contact the parents to see what is happening to the student. Only through effective communication between school and parents, student problems could be minimised.

School has a duty to actively keep an eye on students' activities inside and outside the school especially immediately after school hour. Normally, things happen to students outside the school will infleunce their behaviours in schoool.

However, not all schools keep an effort in supervising what students do outside the school. Some just do not bother nor care and are having the 'mind one's own business' mentality. This has to change.

In view of this, all parties including parents, school and education ministry must work hand-in-hand to fight juvenile delinquency.

According to some statistics, there is a rising tendency in juvenile delinquency and violence. The national police headquarter has revealed statistics that during the period of January to April this year alone, there were 2,962 cases of children-related crime compared to 2,089 cases same period in 2013, rise 43.7%.

Between that period, 3,155 teenagers were arrested by police compared to 2,194 persons during the same period last year, an increase of 43.8%.

Therefore, we must put our act together to overcome the crime committed by school children. The police, parents, school and the Ministry of Education must come out with a plan and action to address the children related crime cases. Remember, educating children is a join afford of all parties, i. e. school, parents, and Ministry of Education, as well as related government agencies.