Children, Youth and Families

Delinquency Services

Signs and Symptoms

Youth at risk for delinquency may exhibit some of these behaviors:

• Changes in normal activities or behaviors which cannot be explained by the normal issue of adolescence.
• Changes in the teen's appearance.
• Changes in friends or peer group.
• Staying in the bathroom for a prolonged period of time, which could indicate the beginning of a eating disorder or drug use.
• Problems at school, such as cutting class, slipping grades, or fights with classmates.
• Indifference to hobbies or school activities they previously enjoyed.
• Refusing to do chores.
• Missing curfew, staying out all night.
• Creating a chaotic and hostile environment at home.
• Defying authority and breaking rules at school, home, in the community.

Questions to ask yourself include the following:

Does your child:

• Lack the ability to properly communicate with others?
• Receive exceptionally poor grades? or his/her academic performance is deteriorating quickly?
• Lack relationship-building skills with peers and authority figures?
• Have a low level of self-esteem?

Does your child's history include:

• Family history of behavior problems by a parent or older sibling?
• Periods of poor supervision or latch-key conditions?
• Inconsistent, excessive or lax discipline by parent or caregiver?
• Poor bonding early in life, frequent change of caregivers, attachment problems?
• Excessive family and/or marital discord?
• Frequent changes in residence, often resulting in different schools, friends?
• Being a victim of physical or sexual abuse, or neglect?