JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

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Juvenile delinquency continues to be an important topic due to the increase in the social trends of this problem. Juvenile delinquency. In general, juvenile delinquency can be defined as the constant and habitual perpetration of crimes by minors (Cicourel, 2017). However, practically speaking, this concept can be defined in terms of its social, legal and psychological implication.
For both of these cases (Craig Prince and William Prince), Both youngsters commit murder at the age of 13. This means that the two are too young to face adult criminal punishment. This makes them be identified under the category of juvenile delinquency.
The legal definitions of these cases have a slight variation. In the case of William James, his delinquent habits of committing serials murders are still handled like a juvenile since he has not yet achieved the age for being charged with capital offenses like the adults. However, his actions see the judge sentence him to 82 years in prison. On the other hand, Craig Prince was handled as a minor. In his jurisdiction, minors were not allowed to face criminal charges until they attained the age of 18 (Siegel & Welsh, 2014). This means that Craig Prince was supposed to be released and later held accountable later when he turned 21.
The social definition and implications of juvenile delinquency very widely. For instance, Craig Prince’s actions prompted widespread condemning from the public due to his actions, a factor that led to a modification of the laws in order to sentence Prince.

On the other hand, William James’s case did not have much social opposition. The two cases, however, highlight the social impact of social delinquency based on the negative influences that it is likely to advance.
References
Cicourel, A. (2017). The social organization of juvenile justice. Routledge.
Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B. C. (2014). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, practice, and law. Cengage Learning.