Risk Factors for the Involvement in Criminal Behaviors in Adolescence

Abstract

The objective of this study is to present a general overview of the risk factors that are defined by the youth as causes for their involvement in criminal activities. Method: The sample of the present study consist of 78 youth who have been sentenced in the Albanian Executive Penitenciary Institutions, regarding data collected by the interviews that inestigate within family and peer relationships as well as statistics of the institutions where juvenile serve their sentence. Data refer to the 2014-2015 time extention. Results: The number of youth involved in criminal behaviors is considerable and referring to the statistics it is progressively increasing. As it seems some indicators related to the family environment are revealed as risk factors for the commitment of juveniles in criminal behavior. Despite the influence of the personal and family factors have in juvenile criminal behavior, the peer influence is another potential risk factor. Conclusions: Teeanage needs to be seen as a very delicate period where the external inflences strongly affect the way the adolescent will try to recognize and orient themselves in life. The powerful influence of familiar facotrs through his or her development will be introduced in the mode how the adolescent will posit themselves as an adult with responsibilities to his living environment. Influences of the familiar factors will affect in their turn the way the adolescents will choose to display himself in front of peers and will be influenced either by them in an effort to find themselves and their path in life.