Criminal Behavior and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Brazilian Adolescent Offenders: An Exploratory Latent Class Analysis.

Lais Sette Galinari,Marina Rezende Bazon

doi:10.3390/ijerph181910509

Abstract

Considering that adolescent offenders are quite a heterogeneous group in terms of behavioral and psychosocial variables, it is considered that a typological approach can assist in the systematization of these differences, aiming at a better understanding of the phenomenon and at clearer guidance in terms of interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the behavioral and psychosocial profiles of male adolescent offenders, based on empirical data collected in a Brazilian sociocultural context. The profiles were made with a sample of 400 adolescent offenders to perform an exploratory latent classes analysis. The instruments used in data collection were the Youth Behavior Questionnaire (Questionário de Comportamentos Juvenis, QCJ) and the Brazilian Jesness Inventory—Revised (Inventário Jesness-Revisado-Brasileiro, IJ-R-Br). The most appropriate model was that of four classes, with the profiles found indicating differences between the adolescent offenders both in relation to psychological functioning and criminal pattern, as well as the psychosocial risk/protective factors associated with each of the profiles. These findings, in addition to contributing to understanding the phenomenon, may help to reflect on the assessments required to assist in judicial decision-making processes and the customized proposal of psychosocial interventions.

Highlights

International and Brazilian rules advocate a differentiated justice system for the treatment of adolescent offenders
The results around the variables were ordered in relation to social dimensions and personal dimensions
It is important to point out some limitations of the research in question, as they affect the generalization of our results

Summary

Introduction

International and Brazilian rules advocate a differentiated justice system for the treatment of adolescent offenders. Such a justice system should take into account the fact that adolescence is a phase of human development in which an individual is subjected to rapid and simultaneous transformations at the physical/biological level—hormonal and neuronal—and at the psychological/personality level, as well as being subjected to new and more challenging social expectations in relation to their behavior [1,2,3] For these reasons, it is understood that adolescents are a segment vulnerable to the manifestation of deviant behaviors, while being highly susceptible to behavioral changes due to their great neuropsychological plasticity, which favors psychosocial interventions [4,5]. These regulations propose that juvenile justice must hold adolescents accountable but promote their psychosocial development through educational/therapeutic monitoring, which focuses on their social reintegration and on the reduction in the chances of recidivism [1,2,3,6].

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Discussion

Conclusion