The youth movements as a means of preventing antisocial and delinquent behaviour

Abstract

The idea for this study emerged from the author's experience as a police officer, especially from that acquired while dealing with out-of-control, immature and irresponsible youth, particularly when patrolling certain notorious areas - where youngsters congregate in search of entertainment. Witnessing the delinquent/criminal behaviour of certain youngsters triggered the author's concern, both as member of the Malta police force and as father. This dissertation addresses the importance of providing guidance to youngsters in as benevolent and attractive a way as possible. It discusses the importance of youth movements when it comes to preventing antisocial and delinquent behaviour. Focusing mainly on primary crime prevention, the researcher hypothesised that the participation of young people in various youth movements, (organisations, groups, clubs... ) contributes towards: their personal development, an exemplary behaviour and hence, to becoming good citizens. This was based on the axiom that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" (Vold and Bernard, 1986:242), and that commitment to conventional activities minimises the risk of engaging in antisocial activities and associating with delinquent peers. Thus, this brief research seeks to find indications of whether (or not) this hypothesis is correct. The topic was initially researched through a review of literature, substantiated by a framework of sociological and psychological perspectives. The research design is based on both quantitative and qualitative data. A number of self-administered questionnaires were distributed to young participants within youth movements (from three different localities). Concurrently, in an attempt at attaining as reliable a picture of the local situation as possible, a series of semi-structured interviews were conducted: with young persons undergoing a drug rehabilitation programme; with senior officials employed with the correctional facilities; and also with leaders of youth movements. The main findings of this study indicate that young persons should be encouraged to attend and participate in youth movements, as these could keep them (youth) from engaging in antisocial and delinquent behaviour. However, the findings also indicate that there is ample space for improvement when it comes to making youth movements more attractive and more beneficial to young people.