Although adults commit most of the crime in the United States, teenagers inspire more of the current fear. Juvenile delinquency, however, dates back to the beginning of recorded history. Contrasts in the extent of juvenile delinquency over the years are expressed in behavior types encountered, visibility, causes, and controls. The juvenile justice system of the 1990's is a repository for every pathology that affects modern dysfunctional families, such as battered or drug-addicted babies, child sexual abuse, child abandonment, violent custody battles, and termination of parental rights. Nonetheless, the philosophy of the juvenile justice system to protect children and to change the behavior of juvenile delinquents has changed little since its inception. Many different beliefs prevail as to why young people become deviant. Research variables frequently center around the issues of boredom and alienation, and psychological factors definitively contribute to youth problems. Those who become delinquent are more likely to be socially assertive, suspicious, defiant, destructive, ambivalent toward authority, impulsive, resentful, lacking in self-control, and hostile. Even though many adolescents have the cognitive competence to think logically, their thought processes have been characterized by an ability to imagine possibilities and to deny reality when it interferes with adolescent fantasy. Most chronic juvenile delinquents started their criminal careers prior to 12 years of age and tend to come from poor, inner-city neighborhoods. The impact of family relations on children is significant. Divorce is one of the strongest emotional events experienced by young people, and the absence of one parent, emotional and financial tension, or continuing conflict between parents frequently leads to psychological problems. Some young people turn to gang involvement, and one estimate indicates that 300 U.S. cities and towns contain about 2,300 youth gangs comprised of nearly 100,000 members. An estimated 60.5 percent of incarcerated juveniles are between 15 and 17 years of age. Efforts to solve the problem of juvenile violence should include meaningful social programs, parental involvement in children's lives, improving children's chance of school success, and restricting the amount of violence juveniles see in movies and on television. Although a fair and equitable juvenile justice system is important, solutions to the problem of juvenile violence should be developed before a child enters the juvenile justice system, and increased research is needed to understand causes of violent behavior. 23 references