Social Factors Influencing Juvenile Delinquency: A Study

Thesis: The main idea and focus of my research is to determine whether or not a child’s social, environmental, and parental factors influence their behavior using the social control/social bonds theory.

Chui W, Chan H. (2012). An empirical investigation of social bonds and juvenile delinquency in hong kong. Child & Youth Care Forum, 41, 371-386 “This study aims to test all Hirschi’s social bond elements with a sample of secondary educated male and female Hong Kong adolescents” (Chui, & Chan, 2012, pg. 371). The students were given questionnaires and remained confidential. The questionnaire was to study students’ social bonds and the student’s delinquency. The adolescence period is the most important of a child’s life when it comes to building their personality and being on the right path. There are many factors that can prevent, or put a juvenile at a higher risk of

(2010). Delinquency, social skills and the structure of peer relations: assessing criminological theories by social network theory. Social Forces, 89, 609-631 Smångs states that juvenile delinquency is a group phenomenon, he says that “friends of juvenile delinquents are delinquent to a much greater extent than friends of non-delinquents” (Smångs, 2010, pg. 609). Juveniles are influenced, or transformed, by their relationships with their peers. Juveniles want to fit in and feel accepted, it is common for juveniles to act differently to try to impress their peers or fit in. The study actually compares two different rival theories; this is to help collect a more accurate series of results. Smångs results supported his hypothesis that the stronger tie between two delinquents, the more contacts they have in common. This shows that in most friend groups, the juveniles all have strong similarities. This could either support the theory that juveniles act a different way to fit in, or that due to a lack of normal social skills, the delinquents are only capable of befriending each