IMPACT OF LABELING OF PARENTS ON THEIR CHILDREN'S DELINQUENCY

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of informal labeling by significant others (Parents, teachers, and peer groups) on the behavior of children. Its major focus is to study the relationship between labeling in childhood and juvenile delinquency. It has also explored the causes of juvenile delinquency, the demographic information of the offenders, school dropout, and its correlation with juvenile delinquency. To gain a deeper insight into this research topic and research objectives a quantitative research design was formulated to study incarcerated juveniles in district jail and different police stations across district Dera Ghazi Khan. The total number of research participants who willingly filled the self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) was (n=100). Out of a total number of respondents, eighty-five were male respondents and fifteen respondents were female, and their age ranges were from 10- 17 years. The researcher is used the questionnaire during the survey and analyzing the data by descriptive and inferential statistics. After analyzing the data the results were obtained. The result shows that there is a strong correlation (r=.946) between labeling and juvenile delinquency. It means that the more frequently a child is labeled by parents, teachers, and friends the more frequently he/she will participate in juvenile delinquency. The results also show that majority of the respondents who were incarcerated were mostly poor, living under the poverty line. This shows that poverty was the major reason due to which juveniles commit an offense. The result also reveals that high school dropoutsare more likely to go to prison as a majority of the offenders who were behind the bar were school dropout students.