Lack of self-esteem, gaps in care for children and the precarious financial situation that many families live with often corresponds to the emergence of adjustment problems - emotional social, school - related to delinquency.
A large proportion of juvenile crime takes place at school. This is because this is where teenagers spend a significant amount of their time.
However, there are several differences noted compared to juvenile crime related to street gangs, which seems to take place more in public places and in the subway.
The phenomenon of street gangs is often associated with youth and a number of studies have shown that belonging to a gang increases the frequency of criminal acts. As well, street gangs may be a source of insecurity for the overall population, but also for the many young people who feel their presence and experience the insecurity.
Co-delinquency, which means to repeatedly commit a crime is a special characteristic of juvenile delinquency. In fact, our data show that co-delinquency declines with age.
|
Protective factors against delinquency |
Personal characteristics |
Intellectual and interpersonal abilities Self esteem Personal responsibility Positive social skills |
Group of friends |
Groups of positive friends Interaction with friends with positive social skills |
School |
Success at school Extracurricular activities |
Family |
Effective family management practices Strong family relationships Family support Stability at home |
Community |
Presence of community organizations Strong cultural identity Social harmony |
Taken from: Société de criminologie du Québec (2009)
La violence chez les jeunes : Un portrait chiffré de la délinquance et de la victimisation – 2009 (In french only)
Connais-tu ma gang? (in french only)