The purpose of this research is to identify the effects of routine activities in juvenile delinquency. The research also focused on finding the influence on misconduct by deviant peers.
The influence of contact with other juvenile delinquents has alre...
The purpose of this research is to identify the effects of routine activities in juvenile delinquency. The research also focused on finding the influence on misconduct by deviant peers.
The influence of contact with other juvenile delinquents has already been marked as an important reason for misconduct of a teenager by many scholars. Recently, the scholars are starting to show interest in the influence of routine activities on misconduct. However, such interest had not been strong enough to be developed into an intense research. Therefore, by identifying the effect of daily life in delinquency and finding the effect of juvenile delinquents with wrongdoing, this research is able to show distinction from the similar research conducted in the past.
The research began with such purpose, and mainly focused on answering the questions mentioned in the following paragraphs.
The first question was whether the routine activities would affect the behavior of a teenager and promote delinquency. This question represents the main purpose of this research. With many investigations conducted in the past, there was a need to prove the validity of importance in the role of routine activities in misconduct of teenagers.
The second question was whether the contact with juvenile delinquents would have influence on juvenile delinquency. Most scholars agree that the contact with juvenile delinquents is the main reason for the misconduct of a teenager. This is proven by the results of many experiments conducted in the past. Hence, this inquiry was also added to the list for validation.
The third inquiry was on the influence of contact with juvenile delinquency on routine activities, which may promote the delinquency in children.
In order to complete the research, past documents were referenced. Afterwards, an experiment was conducted in order to prove the validity of the experiment model created based on the references.
Prior to the experiment, documents were referenced in order to find out various theories and previous experiments on delinquency of juveniles, and the influence of the factors, which include routine activities and friends.
By reviewing the previous research, the plan, the measure, the results and limit of research were able to be analyzed. In addition, based on the previous results, the analysis model on relationship of three factors and routine activities were created.
While collecting the data on routine activities from the past research projects, there was a lack of domestic research on routine activities. Hence, the collection of such data relied on the records of research in other nations. Such process was conducted by internet research. By reviewing articles which were introduced in journals via foreign document information portal sites on net. Also, in order to seek data on recent research projects, both domestic and foreign portal sites were referenced. For review of theories, which is the fundamental of the research, books on theories of criminology were investigated. In addition, periodical publications released by police department, youth policy institute and institute of criminal justice policy were cited in order to find record on the reality of teenage misconduct and routine activities.
Based on the theoretical background suggested by the references, an experiment to prove the validity was carried out. Before the experiment, the experiment module and theories were postulated.
The analysis model was reconstructed from the basic models built by scholars such as Osgood(1996). According to the previous models, the form of routine activities can be categorized into three groups.
These three groups include non-structured socializing in the situation without guardians, activities outside homes where the guardians have power to watch over the teenagers, which is contrary to the non-structured socializing, and conventional activities performed within homes.
This research also categorized the routine activities according to the similar guidelines. However, since the research performed by Osgood et al.(1996) targeted teenagers of United States as test subjects, a new category was organized in order to compensate the differences of Korean teenagers from American ones. Hence, there were four categories in total, which included a new category of outdoor sports activities.
In addition, the category of spectrum in misconduct of teenagers was also modified. Considering the average teenagers in Korea, the level of misconduct was only divided into several categories. These categories included property?violence delinquency, and status delinquency. Also, since contact with other juvenile delinquency produce the greatest influence on misconduct, the relation and effect were examined.
The variables selected in the research are listed in the following.
First of all, the variables on sociology of population include gender, type of school, family structure and allowance.
Secondly, the variables on routine activities encompass non-structured activities, structured outdoor activities, sports activities and conventional activities at homes.
Lastly, for variables on delinquency, property?violence delinquency and status delinquency were chosen.
In order to obtain data on subjects of experiment, the survey which targeted the second graders of high schools in Seoul was carried out.
Each survey question used the Likert scale, and for some inquires, scale of seven and scale of nine were also used in order to improve the accuracy of the survey.
The frequency analysis was conducted in order to identify the sociological characteristic of each subject. Afterwards, Factor Analysis, which tests the validity of recorded logs, was used to extract the variables. Also, in order to test the reliability of the test logs, Cronbach's alpha was used in reliability analysis.
The Two sample T-test was used to identify the difference in sociological characteristics of gender and type of school. In addition, One-way ANOVA was performed to analyze the difference in family structure and allowance. Also, to examine the multicollinearity in routine activities, contact with other juveniles of misconduct and variables in misconduct, the Correlation Analysis was used. After that, Multiple Regression Analysis was executed to find the relative impacts in variables. Finally, Path Analysis was conducted to calculate the direct and indirect effect of variables on delinquency.
According to the conclusion of the research, there seems to be a connection between routine activities and contact with deviant peers. Hence, it would be possible to say that the experiment model was proven to be true, therefore validating the postulation. The possibility of additional research can now be discussed, as the assertion of scholars on connection of routine activities, contact with deviant peers and misconduct is also proven to be true. Additionally, the distinction of this research is also validated, since it is proven that routine activities can influence parental bond and contact with deviant peers.
Especially, the fact that the variables of non-structured activities and contact with deviant peers during the routine activities are proven to be effective variables in explanation of relations between the variables and the delinquency. This is also consistent with the previous experiments.
Based on these results, it is now possible to consider of the solutions for the juvenile delinquency. Although the current teenagers in Korea spend most of their time at school, where the suppression of delinquency can be achieved through the help of other students and teachers, the usage of time after school relies on the choice of the student himself. This is the time when it is possible for students to be lured into performing non-structured activities, or make contact with deviant peers. Therefore, the appropriate guidelines on the effective usage of time should be prepared to prevent it.
More specifically, the control and supervision of parents on their children should be enforce, and the community network should be strengthened as well to prevent the delinquency. The authority figures in community should have periodical unofficial meetings for safety of community or network with police and various governmental agencies to establish the program to work on preventing the juvenile delinquency.