5 Gaps in the Youth and Parents' Relationship

 Save the youth from criminal mentality:

In today's rapidly growing human mentality, youth equipped with technology and social media, in a developing society, the youth are also witnessing crime. And living amid an antisocial society, they are facing many infamous issues which put them in a reprehensible place in society and the whole country. What is crime? The work done against the law and against society and the country is called a crime. There is no stability in today's youth; there is no peace and patience in the mind, and getting angry at small things has become natural. This is not a matter of any particular country; it is emerging as the biggest problem of every country. And the youth has the biggest hand in criminal activities, if this continues, then in the coming time, all the youth will be found in jail. Let us discuss this seriously and fulfil our responsibility. A person does not learn to commit a crime from outside; he learns it from his own family and society, which changes its form later. The first step is to disobey your parents, lose temper, remain restless, feel fear, feel lonely, be insulted, then learn to steal household items, money, gold and other things. If not caught, then there is no punishment, and their tendency becomes stronger, and they get happiness and joy in their immediate life and include their close friends in their happiness. Gradually, the decision to commit a crime becomes a strict way of thinking, and they apply it in their life; later, they enter the world of intention and crime. This is the first and basic step. Without intention, many acts cannot be considered criminal (although there are exceptions like strict liability). When they get more than one criminally minded friend, then they start preparing to commit the crime, collect tools, plan and execute it as per their spontaneity.

Understanding the threat to the world

Criminal influence is one of the ideals that we learn from others. According to The Hindu News published on June 13, 2025, in India, Rajasthan (9.6%), Chhattisgarh (8.4%) and Tamil Nadu (5%) ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in terms of recorded crime rate in 2022. Delhi topped the list. Despite its relatively small size, 6.8% of all violent crimes committed by juveniles in the country took place in the capital, possibly due to better policing and reporting of such cases.

Crime in Jharkhand during the period 2017 to 2022 was around 67% which was considered the highest and extremely worrying among all the states. In other states of India like Tripura, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, more than 60% of juvenile crimes in the same period were classified as violent, which puts a strong country like India to shame. All these states are not as mentally and educationally developed as other states. This is the reason why crime is seen a lot in these states. The first reason found in the study is a lack of education. Now the question arises whether there are no schools and colleges in these states, or is the government sleeping? To some extent, this is also true, because there is a big reason why Jharkhand state is at number one in the above list of crimes. Even today, crime gives rise to war from time to time in some states.

After the year 2000, criminal cases in Jharkhand increased so much that to date, it is becoming difficult for the government to get rid of this crime. When crime is at its peak in the country, it is very difficult and challenging to recover from it. During this time, who knows how many youth have lost their lives along with their families?

Some states of India are definitely poor, but they have progressed in the field of education, and even after providing some education, they could not understand the importance of education, and the government also did not take this issue seriously.

People with criminal mindsets prey on young people by exploiting their emotional vulnerabilities, broken family structures, lack of guidance and socio-economic difficulties. In urban and rural areas, many young people are lured into illegal activities due to unemployment, lack of education or absence of positive role models. The digital world adds another level of risk, where online criminals, misinformation and toxic content can shape a destructive mindset.

According to worldwide records, approximately 193,000 murders occur among young people aged 15-29 every year, which is 40% of the total murders worldwide every year. This is a huge number, and it is frightening for the world. And most of these crimes are committed by the new generation of young people.

Poverty causes crime

As we have seen many times, the reason for crime is not just a lack of money. Today's youth have education and understanding, but they do not have the right guide, they do not get the right opportunity, respect and hope or someone to help them. If we talk about rural areas, the youth there have grown up in an environment of poverty and poverty, and their thinking is much less than the urban youth. Rural youth have to face many problems; they are physically strong but mentally weak. At such a time, a person who has already entered the world of crime lures them into his clutches and makes them commit crimes by training them. You will find educated youth in rural areas; they do not have such a tendency, they think. They understand their responsibilities and keep trying to lead a good life. Years ago, it was seen that entering the world of crime was considered a great achievement for some people. Those who first entered the criminal world, their situation and conditions were different, due to which they found the path of crime to be right.

Unemployment and economic pressure

Every country has people from different classes, and the middle and lower classes face the most poverty, which leads to high unemployment, sometimes limited employment opportunities due to a lack of education. Educated youth are also finding themselves standing in line for the unemployed due to systemic inequality or a lack of local industries. If there is no employment in their lives, then economic pressure is bound to arise. Unemployment and economic pressure give rise to despair. Their time passes, age increases, and they do not see any option. They keep wandering in search of employment. In such a situation, mental imbalance is natural. After finding employment, they give up and take help from the world; they do not even care about their lives. And those who do not care about their lives, how will they care about the lives of others?

Psychological effects

Living in poverty affects mental health. Constant stress, humiliation and social exclusion can lead to anger, depression and low self-esteem. Youth may feel rejected by society and turn to crime as a form of rebellion or self-affirmation. In some cases, criminal behaviour becomes a way to gain respect, power or recognition that they lack in their daily lives.

Broken social structures

Parents are said to be the foundation of the family, so parents should also take credit for the mental breakdown in children. Poverty often hollows out the strong family and community structure. Another reason is the migration of parents to other places due to work or migration, and the absence of a family member can also cause deterioration in children. Lack of good education can lead to poverty and crime, and leave deep wounds in children.

Along with the government, responsible individuals and guardians of the society should join hands to prepare the new generation for the future and promote a better future, especially for rural youth.

 Social Responsibilities:

• Education and skill development: Provide youth with the necessary tools to build their future.
• Community mobilisation: Provide safe spaces for youth and organise programs for guidance.
• Repair emotional barriers and make them productive with the help of institutions.
• Economic opportunities: Invest in job creation and entrepreneurship.
• Spiritual and moral guidance: Instil values beyond circumstances.