Family, School, Peers and Juvenile Recidivism: The Korean Case

• In Event: Crime victimization and Recividism among juveniles in South Korea

Abstract

This study examined the influence of family, school, and delinquent peers as well as demographic and criminal behavior variables on recidivism and the timing of recidivism with a sample of 9,984 Korean juvenile offenders. Event history analysis was employed to determine not only if juvenile offenders recidivated but, if so, how soon after release they committed another crime. The findings indicate that school variables, in particular, levels of education, GPA scores, and school absence records, had significant influences both on recidivism and on the timing of recidivism. This finding is consistent with those of prior studies emphasizing the importance of education in reducing/preventing juvenile offenses. Unlike findings in Western society, however, family and peer-related variables were not significantly related to recidivism in a Korean sample.

Authors

• Heejong Jacob Joo, California State University, Bakersfield

• Youngoh Jo, SUNY Brockport