Self-reported juvenile delinquency in Italy: the phenomenon and the risk factor

Abstract

The Authors present the results of a study on self-reported juvenile delinquency within the International Self-Report Delinquency Study 2 (ISRD2), now coordinated by the Institute of Criminology and Penal Law of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and including the most qualified research organizations inside and outside the European Union.The actual study follows the International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD) conducted in 1992, promoted and organised by Holland’s Justice Department’s Centre for Research and Documentation. The aim of the study is to determine the presence and the evolution of self-reported deviant and law offending behaviours that characterize youth conditions, and also the presence of risk factors and victimization. At the study took part 15 cities differing in size and geographical position. The study involved students from the 7th to the 10th grade.A random multistrate sampling was used. First, some schools were selected and then some classes were sampled within these schools.The distinctiveness of the project is based on the investigation method that includes an anonymous questionnaire used by all of the collaborators and participants in the ISRD 2 study.The questionnaire includes questions about life style, socio-demographic characteristics, victimization and deviant or law offending behaviours.The questionnaire have been completed between February, 16th and June, 3rd 2006. Finally the data was entered into the computer, using the programme EPIDATA. For the analyses SPSS 14.0 was used. At the end of the survey 7278 valid cases have been collected. The results of the study highlighted the relation between socio-economic conditions and some deviant behaviours or offences among young people. The research demonstrates also how official statistics of reported offences represent only a small amount of the phenomenon, since almost all individuals commit criminal offences however only a small amount are charged with the crime or ultimately persecuted.