Interpersonal and property victimization: An exploratory study of criminogenic risk factors of Hong Kong adolescents

Abstract

Little is known about victims of crime in Hong Kong, particularly from a theoretical standpoint. Using a sample of 1306 secondary school students, this study aims to explore the criminogenic risk factors of victimization in Hong Kong adolescents. Grounded in the theoretical propositions of mainstream criminological theories (i.e., self-control, social control, social learning, general strain, and routine activity), the adolescents' types of victimization (i.e., overall, interpersonal, and property) are examined. The findings indicate that male adolescents reported significantly more overall and interpersonal victimization than female adolescents. Relative to female adolescents, male adolescents had significantly higher levels of pro-violence attitudes, alcohol and drug use, and perception of neighborhood disorganization, but lower levels of self-control, social bonds, and deviant peer influence. Multivariate analyses indicate that deviant peer influence and perception of neighborhood disorganization are significant risk factors of overall and interpersonal victimization, while self-control and alcohol and drug use are significantly associated with adolescents' experience with property victimization. Implications of the findings are suggested to address adolescents' criminogenic risk factors in order to reduce their probability of falling prey to victimization.