TY - JOUR
T1 - Social bonds and male juvenile delinquency while on probation
T2 - An exploratory test in Hong Kong
AU - Chui, Wing Hong
AU - Chan, Heng Choon Oliver
N1 - Funding Information:
The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant offered by the Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Project No. HKU 442208H ). In addition, we are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - The Hong Kong probation system is considered as the least researched component within the criminal justice system. Therefore, limited information is known about the Hong Kong probation system and offenders who are serving their probation order, especially in the juvenile population. This study is among the first to examine the differential effects of social bonds (Hirschi, 1969), measured during their probation period, on theft and violent delinquency in a saturated sample of 94 juvenile male probationers (aged 14 to 20. years) in Hong Kong. As expected, findings indicate that poor parental bonding and negative belief in the legal system are likely to increase the propensity to commit theft and violent delinquency, respectively, including the probation period. However, though not uncommon, the increase level of involvement in organizational activities is likely to result in the increase of propensity to commit violent crime, even during the probation period. This study further offers the implications for social services that target the juvenile offenders in terms of fostering a healthy parent-child bonding and a clear understanding of the criminal justice system via the enhancement of the police-youth relationship. Limitations and future research directions are also outlined.
AB - The Hong Kong probation system is considered as the least researched component within the criminal justice system. Therefore, limited information is known about the Hong Kong probation system and offenders who are serving their probation order, especially in the juvenile population. This study is among the first to examine the differential effects of social bonds (Hirschi, 1969), measured during their probation period, on theft and violent delinquency in a saturated sample of 94 juvenile male probationers (aged 14 to 20. years) in Hong Kong. As expected, findings indicate that poor parental bonding and negative belief in the legal system are likely to increase the propensity to commit theft and violent delinquency, respectively, including the probation period. However, though not uncommon, the increase level of involvement in organizational activities is likely to result in the increase of propensity to commit violent crime, even during the probation period. This study further offers the implications for social services that target the juvenile offenders in terms of fostering a healthy parent-child bonding and a clear understanding of the criminal justice system via the enhancement of the police-youth relationship. Limitations and future research directions are also outlined.
KW - Hong Kong Chinese
KW - Juvenile delinquency
KW - Probationers
KW - Social bonds
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053453655&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.08.003
DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.08.003
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:80053453655
SN - 0190-7409
VL - 33
SP - 2329
EP - 2334
JO - Children and Youth Services Review
JF - Children and Youth Services Review
IS - 11
ER -
