RISK FACTORS FOR THE INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS IN THE JUVENILES

The objective of this study is to present a general overview of the risk factors that are defined by the youth as causes for their involvement in criminal activities. Also part of the research identifies both the risk factors that are known to predict a subsequent involvement in juvenile crime, and the other factor that buffer adolescents against the risks to which they are exposed. We are going to explore how those risk currently operate in Albania at the national level. The sample of the present study consist of 78 young people, who have been sentenced in the Albanian Executive Penitentiary Institutions. The study regards data collected by the interviews that investigate within the families and peer relations as well as by statistics of the institutions where juvenile serve their sentence. Data refer to the 2014-2015 time extension. The number of youth involved in criminal behaviors is considerable and referring to the statistics it is progressively increasing. As it seems, some indicators related to the family environment are revealed as risk factors for the commitment of juveniles in criminal behavior. Despite the influence that personal and family factors have in juvenile criminal behavior, the peer influence is another potential risk factor. The data reveals that offending behavior rises steeply as age increases with over 86% of offences committed by 17-18 years old, in relative terms, very little offending by 14 to 15 years old, less than 6%. Teenager has to be seen as a very delicate period when the external influences strongly affect the way the adolescents will try to recognize and orient themselves in life. The powerful influence of familiar factors through their development will be determinant in the way the adolescent will position as an adult with responsibilities towards his living environment. Influences of the familiar factors will also affect the way the adolescents will choose to display them in front of peers and will be influenced by them in an effort to find themselves and their path in life.