Juvenile delinquency is a serious social problem. For a long time experts in diff erent areas (law, criminology, sociology, psychology, medicine) have been trying to fi nd solutions that would reduce juveniles’ involvement in criminal activity and various social pathologies which accompany crime. Unfortunately, they have been rarely successful. Th is publication is a criminological and victim logical discussion of juvenile delinquency in the context of satisfying needs, both material and non-material ones. A situation where a person’s needs have not been satisfi ed as desired poses a considerable threat to the individual. Human organism may develop various psychosomatic health disorders which lead to very serious diseases or even death. Being unable to satisfy their needs, particularly material ones, in a legal way, juveniles turn to crime. Research shows that juveniles’ eff orts to fulfi ll their needs may result in their victimization by both young and adult off enders.