MORALNA PANIKA U VEZI SA MALOLETNIČKOM DELINKVENCIJOM
MORAL PANIC OVER JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Summary/Abstract: Throughout history young people have often been the subjects of moral panics, and society had a tendency to label them as immoral because they had frequently deviated from generally accepted norms. Nowadays, this circumstance has not significantly changed. We are now witnesses that the media often presentes young people as bullies and emphasis their risky behavior. Considering that the actual number of juveniles that are committing such crimes is significantly different, content that primarily comes from media is creating general concern, which then affects the image of young people among public. Although the reactions of various part of society (media, public, formal social control groups, politicians and members of social movements) are important in creating moral panic, the main subject in forming the image of juvenile delinquency is the mass media. The reporting method they use is of great importance in forming public's attitude towards minors, which then leads to an overreaction by a part of society and a stance on how the problem should be addressed. Juveniles violent behavior, peer violence (both in the physical and virtual world), as well as other safety risks in schools, are always alluring topics because they attract great public attention, so it is not surprising that the media often choose to sensationalize these topics. Events presented in that way can easily lead to public panic reactions and exaggeration the seriousness of the situation. Therefore, it is of great importance to keep in mind that conducting repressive measures against minors, which could quickly appease the public, would not lead to solving the causes of the problem, nor to the suppression of juvenile delinquency.

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