Understanding the associations between psychosocial factors and severity of crime in juvenile delinquency: a cross-sectional study

Impact of social factors responsible for Juvenile delinquency - A literature review

BACKGROUND

Juvenile delinquency appears to be the most widespread social issue in comparison to other social issues. Social factors and conditions have a significant impact on the prevalence of delinquency. Individuals who engage in criminal behavior before reaching the age of 18 are commonly referred to as juvenile offenders. The aim of this study is to comprehensively elucidate the research and work carried out on juvenile offenders, with a specific focus on the critical role played by social factors in all facets of juvenile delinquency. Additionally, this research seeks to investigate the social roots and influences that contribute to the criminal behavior of young offenders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This article uses a literature review methodology to analyze research on social factors influencing juvenile delinquency. It synthesizes and evaluates prior findings to understand the complex interplay between social factors and young individuals' involvement in delinquent behaviors. The study analyzed 80 articles from reputable online databases, focusing on juvenile delinquency, offenders, crime, and social factors. Out of the 80 articles, 53 were cited, meeting inclusion criteria, including publication within 2000-2023, rigorous peer-review, and reputable database indexing.

RESULTS

As per the findings of the research, it has been observed that children who grow up in households that exhibit affection, hospitality, and encouragement are comparatively less susceptible to the manifestation of societal maladies. Children who have experienced parental abandonment are at heightened risk of developing delinquent behaviors.

CONCLUSION

The presence of negative family dynamics and associations with delinquent peers are widely recognized as significant contributors to the development of drug abuse behavior. It is imperative for policymakers and preventive initiatives to have a comprehensive understanding of this complex relationship. Therefore, this literature review presented a distinct overview of the influence of social factors on juvenile offenders in India.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Depressive Symptoms and Risky Behaviors Among Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

OBJECTIVE

Several studies conducted in high-income countries have found an association between depressive symptoms and risky behaviors among adolescents. Evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 90% of the world's adolescents live, remains scarce. This meta-analysis systematically reviewed evidence examining the association between depressive symptoms and risky behaviors among adolescents in LMICs.

METHOD

Fifteen electronic databases were searched for published or unpublished cohort and case-control studies about adolescents in LMICs. The primary outcome was the association (odds ratio [OR]) between depressive symptoms and risky sexual behavior and substance use. Secondary outcomes included delinquency, adverse school behavior, self-harm, and suicidal behavior. ORs from all studies were pooled using the random-effects model. Quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and strength of the overall body of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation.

RESULTS

Searches yielded 31,148 potentially relevant studies. After screening, 33 studies were included in the systematic review, of which 30 comprised the meta-analysis. Studies encompassed 35,918 adolescents living in 17 LMICs: 5 from Africa, 7 from Asia, and 5 from Latin America and the Caribbean. Adolescents with depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.1-1.5) and substance use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.4-2.2) compared with nondepressed adolescents. Results for secondary outcomes showed a similar pattern, with higher delinquency (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.8-5.6), self-harm (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.3-14.4), and suicidal behavior (OR 6.6, 95% CI 2.3-18.9) among adolescents with depression compared with healthy adolescents.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that adolescents with depression in LMICs carry a double burden: depression and increased risk of engaging in risky behaviors. This combination may lead to further psychological and physical health problems that persist over the life course and may impose a health burden on society as a whole. Taken together, these findings highlight the urgent need for scalable and sustainable approaches to prevent and/or treat depression among adolescents in resource-poor settings.

Correlates and predictors of re-incarceration among Turkish adolescent male offenders: A single-center, cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Adolescents involved in the legal system are known to be under elevated risk for repeat offending. There may be many reasons for recidivism. Specifically, we aim to investigate the clinical, socio-demographic, and familial factors and psychopathology among adolescents in a penal institution and to determine risk factors for re-incarceration.

METHODS

This single-center cross-sectional survey was conducted at Tarsus Closed Penal Institution for Children and Youth. This institution is for males only, and all male adolescents detained at the center within the study period were evaluated with semi-structured interviews (K-SADS-PL). The adolescents completed Meaning and Purpose of Life Scale, The EPOCH measure of Adolescent Well-being, Family Sense of Belonging Scale, Children's Alexithymia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for themselves. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used. P was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

Ninety adolescent offenders with a mean age of 16.6 years (S·D = 0.7) were enrolled. Mean age at first offense was 14.6 years (S·D = 2.1). The most common reason for offenses was reported as as being with peers who were offenders, too (57.8%). Most common diagnoses were substance use (36.7%), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (33.3%), and conduct disorder (26.7%). Rates of offending and conviction in first-degree relatives were 62.2% and 60.0%, respectively, and most of the adolescents had at least one peer with a criminal record (n = 71, 78.9%). Re-incarcerated adolescents had lower education, committed more violent crimes, and reported elevated use of substances, suicide attempts, and psychopathology. However, in regression analysis, age of onset was the sole predictor of re-incarceration.

CONCLUSION

Turkish male adolescents in forensic settings may be screened for externalizing disorders and referred for treatment. Re-incarcerated Turkish youth may be more susceptible to peer influence, substance use and externalizing disorders. It may be prudent to systematically screen offending youth for psychiatric disorders regardless of the individual's request for treatment and refer identified cases to treatment. Integration of child and adolescent psychiatrists with penal institutions serving youth may help in this regard.

Socio-legal consequences of Tourette Syndrome and its comorbidities: A case study and review of the literature

Tourette Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is associated with the presence of multiple motor and one or more verbal tics. In this case report, we present a 16 years old Tourette syndrome patient who was diagnosed with comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The patient was evaluated for legal responsibility after she made untrue allegations saying that a bus driver had sexually harassed her. We summarize the case and review the current literature to assess the socio-legal aspects of Tourette syndrome.

ADHD-Related Mental Health Issues of Young Adult Male Prisoners in Pravieniškės Correction House-Open Colony (Lithuania)

The aim of this study was to evaluate mental health issues related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young adult male prisoners.

The study was performed in the Pravieniškės Correction House-Open Prison Colony and represents the first study on adult ADHD in Lithuania. The sample consisted of 100 young males imprisoned for mild to moderate crimes. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Adult Self-Report Scale v1.1 (ASRS v1.1) and Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) self-rating scales. Related mental health issues were evaluated using the DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5, and data from both medical files and offenses-incentives lists.

Clinically significant ADHD symptoms were found in 17% of the respondents. Prisoners with ADHD were younger and had shorter incentives lists. Personality traits of negative affect, antagonism, disinhibition, and psychoticism with increased personality dysfunction were more prevalent in the respondents with ADHD. Medical files of prisoners with ADHD more frequently included data on substance abuse, psychiatric diagnoses, and psychopharmacological treatment. None of the respondents had been diagnosed or treated for this disorder.

Clinically significant ADHD symptoms were highly prevalent among imprisoned males, but ADHD was not diagnosed or treated correctly. These findings show that the problem of ADHD in young male adults with increased risk for criminal behavior needs recognition by the politicians and professionals responsible for health care in Lithuania in order to better care for prisoners with this psychopathology.