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28 March 2024

Emirati teenagers are more prone to crime

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By Staff

Emirati teenagers are more prone to indulge in crime than expatriates as their prosperous life and spoiling by families turned them into irresponsible persons, according to an Emirati police researcher.

During 2005-2010, the number of crimes committed by teen agers under 18 years totalled 4,304 and only 313 of them were perpetrated by girls, said Aisha Al Buraimi, a researcher at Sharjah police.

Emirati teen agers involved in such crimes stood at 1,691, nearly 40 per cent of the total minor culprits seized during that period.

“This means that Emiratis constitute the largest nationality involved in juvenile crime during that period,” she said in a study carried by the semi official Arabic language daily Alittihad on Sunday.

“This is because of the economic prosperity Emiratis enjoy and the fact that national families tend to provide all or most of the needs demanded by their sons…this has contributed to weakening the son’s sense of responsibility and creating a personality characterized by egoism and love for possession.”

Buraimi said crimes committed by minors during those years involved 1,138 thefts and 508 assaults besides drunkenness, drugs, vice, absence from home for long periods of time and other crimes.

“The survey found that many of the Emirati teen agers were involved in crime after the divorce of their parents while a large number of them have illiterate fathers…some others are found to be living in low cost houses,” she said.

Buraimi’s recommendations to curb adolescent delinquency include staging of awareness programmes and the need for fathers to follow a more realistic approach in dealing with their sons.

“Such approaches should be based on mutual trust, love and respect…fathers should also use a dialogue with their sons so they can express their views more freely and without fear…they must not completely spoil their children while those who opt for continuous punishment of their sons must abandon such ways.”