Why teenagers get involved in crime

Juvenile crime was not alien to Bangladesh society. But it has become a major social problem in recent years with the emergence of organised Kishore (teen) gangs that often intimidate residents, extort shopkeepers, trigger violence, and sometimes take lives.
Law enforcement agencies have identified over two hundred gangs active in cities, mostly in Dhaka and Chattogram. A 2024 newspaper report, quoting police and researchers, mentioned that the gangs have a total number of members of over 1,300. The political turbulence that emerged last year gave rise to the activities of the gangs. The activities, however, somewhat subsided after joint forces started operating, but still they are emerging in some places.
The phenomenon of Kishore gangs is not confined to slum areas or to school dropouts, it reaches into ordinary neighbourhoods, sometimes pulling in students who seem otherwise to have normal lives.
The question is why teenagers are attracted to gangs and violent acts. The answer is not simple. There are multiple reasons behind it. Criminologists and social scientists attribute the phenomenon to poverty, social exclusion, broken family structures, the politics of harbouring criminals, the collapse of community oversight and the culture of impunity. Children who face neglect are more likely to seek shelter from such gangs that promise attention, protection, money, or identity. Traditional community oversight once existed strongly in our society, playing a key role in barring anyone from the community from being involved in criminal activities. Such oversight has diminished over time.
In Bangladesh society, everyone understands there is a direct link between teen gangs and local power-brokers. Elected local government representatives being accused of protecting or employing gangs to do criminal acts like intimidation, extortion, and murder corroborate the understanding. When young offenders understand that violence wins them patronage from influential people and that power and money come from displays of force rather than achievement, they are likely to choose the short-cut course. There remains hardly any way to stop them in such a situation.
Social media also offer incentives for young offenders. Gang members' viral videos flaunting power might encourage others to get involved in such activities. The absence of a well-designed juvenile correction system in Bangladesh also contributes to juvenile crime. The system that now exists here lacks adequate psychological services, education or skills training. Studies show that confinement without meaningful rehabilitation increases the risk of young offenders being involved in crimes again.
Now the question arises, can the problem of teen criminality in Bangladesh be addressed? It can be but the task is challenging. Policymakers, communities and families need to treat it as a long-term social challenge rather than a short-term law-and-order nuisance and act accordingly. First, all concerned need to give emphasis on community-based prevention through strengthening family support and expanding school counselling. Political parties should adopt a zero-tolerance policy for their leaders who protect offenders while law enforcers should bring those harbouring offenders to book.
The juvenile justice system should be overhauled with the focus on rehabilitation. The government should invest in making courts child-friendly and in training officers dealing with the juveniles. Mental-health services for adolescents must be scaled up. Media can play a critical role in solving the problem. Initiatives ought to be taken to celebrate positive youth role models. Schools, religious institutions and youth clubs should join hands in promoting civic values.

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