JUVENILE DELINQUENCY THROUGH MODERN THEORIES OF CRIME AND THE DYNAMICS OF MOST COMMITTED CRIMES BY JUVENILES IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA.
Ebru IBISH
Abstract
Juvenile delinquency is one of the most complex social and criminological phenomena with a set of psychological, social, and structural determinants. The paper examines the nature of youth offending in the Republic of North Macedonia through the prism of modern criminological theories. Based on core theoretical perspectives, more specifically Social Learning Theory, Strain Theory, Social Control Theory, and Labeling Theory, the paper aims to explain the juvenile delinquency emphasizing these theories. They provide insight into the mechanisms through which social, environmental, and personal conditions intersect to excite or suppress offending behavior, providing a logical basis for an explanation of why some adolescents offend and others do not. Official statistics from the State statistical office are reviewed to identify the most common offenses by young people, including theft, property offenses, and violence. By bridging theoretical accounts and empirical patterns of child offending, the article demonstrates how modern theories account for the underlying processes, such as the reinforcement of antisocial behavior in peer groups, the pressures created by socio-economic strain, and the consequences of social labeling and rejection. It is only through an understanding of these dynamics on a theoretical plane that a more aware reading of juvenile offending and the risk factors therein can be discerned, which may not be overtly apparent at an empirical level. The paper ends with an emphasis on the urgent call for complex, theory-based strategies that strengthen family, enhance community engagement, and promote restorative justice values in delinquency prevention, and the successful reintegration of child offenders into society.
Pages: 79 - 87