The number of juvenile delinquency is increasing again after a decade`s low level. Especially, the extent of persistent juvenile delinquency becomes worse. Last year as much as 36 percent of delinquent youths were persistent offenders. This study is t...
The number of juvenile delinquency is increasing again after a decade`s low level. Especially, the extent of persistent juvenile delinquency becomes worse. Last year as much as 36 percent of delinquent youths were persistent offenders. This study is to examine the effects of risk and protective factors on persistent juvenile delinquency. Linear growth model is applied as an estimation method on the National Youth Panel Study data. Risk and protective factors are measured in five areas of juvenile everyday life such as personal characteristics, family, peer, school, and community. Results from Pearson correlation analysis show that all of the risk factors are positively related to delinquent incidences. Youths who are exposed to risk situations in personal characteristics, family, peer, school, and community tend to commit more delinquent behaviors from the 1st year to the 4th year. Protective factors are not the same to the risk factors in terms of yearly delinquency incidences. Meanwhile, personal characteristics, peer, and school are observed to be significant risk factors leading youths to continuously commit delinquent behaviors. Risk-taking and unsympathetic traits are the concrete elements of the personal risk factor. Peers who acted violently or had the habits of drinking and smoking are such elements of the peer risk factor. Educational sanctions such as warning and suspensions are the concrete elements in the school risk factor. Family and school are shown to be significant protective factors. Behavioral interactions with either parents or teachers tend to deter the youths from persisting in delinquency. As a conclusion, this study recommends that much efforts should be done to reduce personal, peer, school risk factors and at the same time both parents and teachers should have intimate behavioral interactions with the youths.