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The truth hidden under social control: How to break the vicious cycle of juvenile crime?
In the United States, the root cause of juvenile delinquency lies not only in individual behavior, but also in the deeper structural inequality of society. Victor M. Rios's "Youth Control Complex" theory profoundly exposes a systemic structure of punishment and surveillance that particularly targets youth of color and has long-term negative impacts on their psychology and future development. Rios’s observations suggest that when a young person encounters negative labels from teachers and law enforcement, it becomes more than a simple assessment; it becomes a symbol of a larger system of oppression.
"These young people experience a kind of social death; they are considered outsiders before they commit their first crime."
The adolescent control complex did not emerge by chance; its roots can be traced back to the “neoliberal” transformation of American society in the mid-1970s. As the war on poverty led to the war on crime, law enforcement agencies in the 1980s began to focus special attention on and crackdowns on black and Latino communities. By the 1990s, with the emergence of high-profile school shootings, law enforcement intervention further penetrated into schools, forming the familiar "school-to-prison pipeline" phenomenon.
Rios' research highlights how this system of control goes beyond the onset of juvenile delinquency and how it affects the lives of youth of color before any crime occurs. Therefore, from the very beginning they were forced to accept surveillance and control from all sectors of society.
“This criminalization of everyday behavior causes young people to begin to internalize their own criminal identity.”
The specific manifestations of this phenomenon are constantly repeated in many social institutions such as schools, families, businesses, and community media. Rios described the culture as "obsessed with control," in which every deviation in behavior could be met with harsh punishment. Due to the influence of this environment, adolescent mental health problems emerge in an endless stream, and many young people develop extreme anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions, which further deepen their pessimistic expectations about their own future.
Statistically, the reality of the adolescent control complex is also quite clear. According to reports, 95% of adult court defendants are youth of color, and in some states, such as California, these youth often face a higher risk of incarceration. This disproportionality reaffirms Rios's point that the system was not established by accident but was a conscious action against minorities.
"The government has become an abusive stepfather, beating its own children and locking them up in rooms without windows or doors."
Solving this systemic problem requires more than just protecting young people. Rather, it requires building a "youth support complex" that allows young people to participate in decision-making and change their future. Rios proposed that lawmakers, law enforcement and educators work together to create a system that allows young people to correct their mistakes and participate in self-reconstruction.
In addition, many scholars have called for the introduction of restorative justice practices, which focus more on conflict resolution rather than just punishment, giving young people the opportunity to repair the damage caused by their misconduct rather than simply depriving them of their freedom. As legislation continues to advance around the country to end the school-to-prison pipeline, phasing in these changes could mean a shift in the tide for youth of color.
After understanding this complex structure, readers can't help but think: In this stressful and unfair environment, how can we fundamentally reshape the social support system to truly change the future of young people?
