STATISTICS SHOW THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS RISING, DESPITE LAVISH PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL SERVICES TO CONTROL IT. THE COMPLEX CAUSES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ARE CONSIDERED. THESE INCLUDE BAD HOME CONDITIONS, UNSTABLE NUCLEAR FAMILIES, AND FAMILIES THAT TREAT CHILDREN REPRESSIVELY AND REJECTINGLY, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO TREAT CHILDREN IN AN OVERPERMISSIVE MANNER. IT IS NOTED THAT ADOLESCENCE IS A TIME OF CONFUSION, ANXIETY, AND REBELLION WHICH REQUIRES SUBTLE, YET FIRM, PARENTAL CONTROL. OTHER DELINQUENCY CAUSES DESCRIBED IN THE ARTICLE INCLUDE POOR EDUCATION, BOREDOM, POVERTY, POOR WORK ATTITUDES, AGGRESSION (FOUND MAINLY IN MALES), AND PEER PRESSURE. STUDIES SHOW THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS HIGH IN URBAN AREAS, DUE PERHAPS TO THE STRESS OF OVERCROWDING, POOR LIVING CONDITIONS, AN ABSENCE OF HEALTHY OUTLETS FOR AGGRESSIVE FEELINGS, AND A BREAKDOWN OF SOCIAL NORMS. THE ARTICLE NOTES THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY WILL BE DISCOURAGED ONLY BY CLOSE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS WHICH FOSTER CHILDREN'S SELF-ESTEEM AND PUNISH NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR. NOTES AND A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED.