Bad company main cause of crimes by juveniles

ABU DHABI: Although ‘bad company’ is considered the main reason that drives juveniles to crime, parents must be wary of how to legally discipline their children, a top official in the capital on Sunday.
“The law contains several stipulations to ensure that parents do not go overboard when punishing their children.
These include making sure that the beating is done by the actual guardian, that no tool is used during the act, that the child has in fact done something worth being punished for, that the discipline is suitable for the child and that certain places on the youngster’s body are not targeted,” said Family Prosecution Head, Counsellor Mohammad Rashid Al Dhanhani.
This means that parents are not allowed to use sticks, belts or other items when disciplining their children, they are not permitted to delegate this matter to a sibling or relative and they cannot beat the child on the head, neck or chest.
“I have seen a case where a father was beating his five-year-old son with a stick for wetting his pants. This is not what you do to a five year-old. This will make him even more scared at night,” Al Dhanhani explained.
He also stated that these issues can be subjective and their assessment is up to the court. The expert also said that bad company and free time are the main causes of crime among juveniles, with most being boys.