Legal and Psychological Perspectives on Juvenile Delinquency: Strengthening Child Protection Through Evidence-Based Interventions
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Abstract
Juvenile delinquency is influenced by the interaction of psychological, family, social and legal factors, which need coordinated actions for child protection and rehabilitation. This study analyzed the factors associated with delinquent behaviors and assessed the effectiveness of evidence-based practices for youth with a sample of 600 youth ages 12-17. A quantitative cross-sectional design with descriptive statistics, point-biserial correlation, binary logistic regression, multiple linear regression and comparisons between groups were used. Juvenile delinquency was found in 176 participants (29.3%). Adverse childhood experiences, peer delinquency, psychological distress, substance use, trauma symptoms, and impulsivity were all positively related to delinquent involvement, while school engagement, family support, and parental monitoring were all negatively related to delinquent involvement. Logistic regression revealed that adverse childhood experiences, peer delinquency, substance use and age were associated with an increased likelihood of offending, whereas school engagement and family support and parental monitoring were associated with a decreased likelihood of offending. For delinquent youth, intervention recipients had significantly higher rehabilitation scores than those who were not intervention recipients, and school engagement, family support, and diversion eligibility had a positive effect on rehabilitation scores. The receipt of intervention, however, was not significantly related to 12-month recidivism. The results add to the evidence for an integrated juvenile justice system that integrates psychological assessment and trauma-informed care with family-centered support, engagement in education, legal protection, and diversion. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, future longitudinal studies with real-world samples are needed to verify causal relationships and generalisability.