Strain, Negative Emotion, and Pre-Incarceration Delinquency among Chinese Juvenile Offenders

• In Event: Childhood Strain and Crime: Empirical Approaches

Abstract

In recent years, China has seen a rebound in juvenile crimes, and offenders tend to be younger and commit serious crimes. Meanwhile, there has been a significant decrease in publications on juvenile crime in China, reflecting a shift in research focus. Chinese youths face a range of great pressures, which may have an impact on their delinquent behaviors. This study applied the general strain theory (GST) to examine juvenile delinquency among a group of young offenders in China. Using data collected from 361 incarcerated juveniles in a reformatory in Southwest China, this study examined the relationship between strain and pre-incarceration delinquency with the mediating effect of negative emotions in the form of anger, frustration, and depression. The findings lent partial support for GST indicating victimization as a source of strain played an important role in pre-incarceration delinquency controlling for the other variables. Victimization anger was a strong predictor of delinquency which mediated the effect of victimization to a great extent. The contribution to the existing literature and the implication of policymaking were discussed.

Authors

• Wei Wang, University of Delaware

• Ivan Sun, University of Delaware

• Jia Qu, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics