Analyzing Socio-Psychological Factors Related to Juvenile Delinquency: A Case Study of Province Punjab

Abstract

This research was conducted to reveal the role of socio- psychological factors related to juvenile delinquency. The main objective of this study was to explore factors contributing to delinquency and their influence on juveniles’ behavior, how certain juveniles are affected by them and others not. Convicted juveniles of Punjab province were the population of research from which 15 delinquent juveniles were selected for in-depth interviews through purposively sampling. Interview guide and diary were used as tool to collect information. Research was only focused on factors related to family, school, and community and peers which cause delinquent at early age. Study revealed that juveniles living in delinquent or non-supporting families and criminal neighborhood are more likely to have inclination towards criminality. Likewise, juveniles who are week students and have criminal associations becomes delinquent at later adolescent age due to peer pressure. Criminal tendencies developed at early age are more chronic than those at later adolescence. Therefore, juvenile delinquency prevention programs should focus on socio-psychological factors related to early age to curb the delinquency. It was also found that juvenile-living in delinquent environment may not indulge into delinquency.

KEYWORDS: Socio-psychological, later adolescence, delinquents, juveniles