“Over the years, research has confirmed the high reports of communication issues among male and female juvenile delinquents” (Antony, Swathi, Nazla,& George, 2013). There are different reasons behind what makes juvenile delinquents lack communication skills, such as: broken families, school, neighborhoods, low intelligence, and brain pathology. Socialization for adolescents is critical being that communication is essential to human life and interacting with others. Understanding the lack of communication among juvenile delinquents can assist them in navigating through society as productive citizens. Research suggest that another communication disparity among juvenile is the relationship between the juvenile and the justice system they have been immersed in.
The most popular approach in research when examining the oral language skills among juveniles is the earlier identifications (Bryan, Garvani, Gregory, & Kilner, 2015). According to recent research, pragmatics and use of communication are heavily lacking among juvenile delinquents (Antony, Swathi, Nazla,& George, 2013). Antony et al. (2013) refers to delinquents as adolescents with patterns of criminal behavior who have conflict with the law. Furthermore, it is important to analyze the socialization among juvenile delinquents to understand the absence of pragmatic and language deficiencies. Programs that focus on communication development among juvenile delinquents will assist them with further reintegration into society and socialization issues.
The maltreatment of juveniles in the justice system is another area that researchers examine. “Many children and adolescents are disadvantages linguistically in their interface with the law whether as victims, suspects, or witnesses” (Snow, Powell, Sanger, Nippold, & Schneider, 2012).
Snow, Powell, Snager, Nippold, and Scheinder (2012) research implications states:
High-risk young people (i.e., those who are subject to child protection orders because of suspected or confirmed maltreatment, and those who are engaged with the youth justice system) face an elevated risk for suboptimal language development but may need to draw on their language skills in high-stakes forensic interviews. Implications for early intervention policy and practice are identified, and the need for greater speech-language pathology advocacy and engagement in forensic interviewing research is emphasized (p. 496). The authors Snow, Powell, Snager, Nippold, and Scheinder (2012) hypothesize youth offenders and maltreatment youth (i.e. victim or suspect) have communication challenges in their verbal navigation through the justice system (p. 497).
Snow, Powell, Snager, Nippold, and Scheinder (2012) research methods states:
Two lines of research pertaining to oral language competence and young people’s interface with the law are considered: 1 regarding investigative interviewing with children as victims or witnesses in the context of serious allegations of sexual abuse, and the other pertaining to adolescent offenders as suspects, witnesses, or victims. The linguistic demands that forensic interviewing places on these young people are also considered. Literature concerning the impact of early maltreatment on early language acquisition is briefly reviewed, as is the role of theory of mind in relation to the requirements of investigative interviewing of children and adolescents (p.496). The finding show that there is a need for speech-language pathologist within the interviewing setting. The finding show that impoverished youth struggle with communication issues. Overall their needs to be more awareness brought to this issue.

Reference
Anthony, L., Swathi, A., Nazla, P., & George, V.M., (2013). Pragmatic abilities in juvenile delinquents. Language in India. 13(11), 505-521.
Falconer K.O. & Cochran J.R. (1989). Communication skills in male institutionalizes juvenile offenders. Rocky Mountain Journal of Communication Disorders. 24 251-266.
Sanger, D., Moore-Brown B., Magnuson, G., & Svoboda, N., (2001). Prevalence of language problems among adolescent delinquents. Communication Disorders Quarterly. 23(1), 17-26.
Snow,P.C., Powell, M.B., Sanger, D.D., Nippold, M., Scheinder, P. (2012). Oral language competence, young speakers, and the law. Language,Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 43(4), 496-506.