This study, in applying recent theory of self-control and delinquent friends as major factors which impact juvenile delinquency, aims to explain how these factors apply differently to offline- and online-delinquencies. Moreover, it seeks to know wheth...
This study, in applying recent theory of self-control and delinquent friends as major factors which impact juvenile delinquency, aims to explain how these factors apply differently to offline- and online-delinquencies. Moreover, it seeks to know whether self-control and delinquent friends influence juvenile delinquency independently or whether the impact can differ according to the result of mutual interaction. The data used in this study is the Korean Youth Panel Survey, more specifically, that for the second panel of the third year (2005). Objectives chosen for this study are 3.125 teenagers, who are assembled through individual interviews. For analysis method, multiple regression analysis is utilized, which is an analytical method that incorporates both major impacts of independent factors and mutual interaction factors. Major analytical results of this study are as follows. First, the most frequently perpetrated delinquent behaviors by teenagers are, in greater-to-lesser order, status delinquency, online-delinquencies, crimes, and harassing other people. For status delinquency, in the order of drinking, smoking, absence without leave, running away from home, and sexual experience, the seriousness of delinquency increases while frequency of occurrence decreases. Second, comparing offline with online delinquencies, In case of offline-delinquencies, self-control has more powerful explanation by not only a unique influencing power but also the mutual interaction effect between delinquent friends and self-control. On the other hand, for online-delinquencies, self-control has a unique influencing power regardless of the effects caused by mutual interaction. Delinquent friends have a unique influencing power in both offline and online delinquencies. That is, having a delinquent friend leads a teenager to perpetrate more delinquencies. Third, as a result of comparing each type of delinquencies, in the case of status delinquency, it is found that unlike other types of delinquencies it receives little influence from sexual distinction but is more determined by family structure and whether the mother has an occupation. Crime and harassing others receives impact from sexual distinction and violent treatments, while online delinquencies are strongly influenced by sexual distinction. For self-control, in case of status delinquency, it apparently has a unique influencing power but is in fact influenced differently according to the presence of delinquent friends. In case of crime and harassing others, self-control has more powerful explanation by not only a unique influencing power but also the mutual interaction effect between delinquent friends and self-control. On the other hand, in the case of online delinquencies, self-control has a unique influencing power regardless of the effects of mutual interaction. For the factor of delinquent friends, there is a unique influencing power in both online and offline-delinquencies. Such result indicates that, although presence of delinquent friends can exert important influence over offline-delinquencies, teenagers are more apt to perpetrate juvenile delinquencies when those with little self control teem up with delinquent friends at the same time. In the case of online-delinquencies, it can be perpetrated alone using the media called a computer. Thus it can be said that self-control holds a unique influencing power over online-delinquencies. Such an analysis result provides information for not only lessening teenage delinquencies but also solving crimes in general. In the first place, self-control for a teenager has an inseparable relationship with the character of his or her family. In order to improve teenage self-control, programs which can make homes function properly and relieve teenagers of their daily stress should be provided. Next, in relation to delinquent friends, parents should offer guidance to their children, while taking a special interest in with whom they are making friends with. Moreover, in order to solve the negative impact caused by their friendship with inappropriate peers, a group program which can transfer an inappropriate peer group to a proper peer group should be conducted. One must offer help so that all teenagers can grow up to become healthy members of the society.