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Crime committed by youth within South Africa is a problem of growing concern. Family environments are seen as powerful putative factors in the development of offending behaviour. On the basis of family systems theory, it was postulated that juveniles are influenced by the reciprocal interactions amongst family members as it shapes their development. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development illustrates that the formation of morals is influenced by the quality of relationships within family units. This study therefore explored juvenile delinquent’s perceptions of their families and the impact it had on their offending behaviour. The subjective world of these offenders was focused upon within the qualitative paradigm through an exploration of their experiences. This method was deemed significant as it attempted to understand these delinquents in terms of their own definitions of their family lives in order to provide an in-depth and insightful account into how they perceived their families to have influenced their behaviour. Eleven juvenile offenders, aged between 15 and 21 attending a diversion programme participated in the study. The research was conducted in the form of semi-structured individual interviews where various themes relating to the family were explored. The participants’ responses were recorded and analysed utilising thematic content analysis. The participants perceived their families to potentially act as a contributing factor in the development of their criminal behaviour. Specific aspects, namely different family forms, family relationships, patterns and response styles, as well as families levels of emotional involvement were all perceived to have impacted on their delinquent behaviour. Although none of these factors can be considered in isolation, a complex interplay of these family characteristics may significantly contribute to the development of asocial behaviour. In contrast to these findings, areas of contestation also arose from participants’ talk. Despite their delinquency and the potential contribution of the family, some participants identified the family to act as a protective factor and thus not influencing their involvement in criminal acts. Aside from the family, other influences such as peer groups and community violence were also identified as potential risk factors for juvenile delinquency. Therefore although an important contributing factor, the family cannot be considered in isolation when attempting to identify what may lead these juveniles to engage in criminal acts.

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La presente ricerca, con un approccio qualitativo-ermeneutico, esplora il fenomeno del conflitto armato colombiano, con un focus specifico sul processo di reintegrazione sociale e sull’esperienza soggettiva come ex sequestrati e come ex guerriglieri. La ricerca consente un’esplorazione in profondità, integrando la dimensione politico-sociale con quella clinica, lasciando alla luce tre vertici d’analisi; Studio 1: le rappresentazioni sociali intorno alle figure di vittime e di carnefice e alle dinamiche relazionali del conflitto armato colombiano; 
 Studio 2: l’approccio, i metodi e le tecniche di lavoro degli operatori che si occupano di reintegrazione sociale di ex sequestrati (nella Fondazione País Libre) e di ex guerriglieri (nell’Agenzia Colombiana per la Reintegrazione, “ACR”); 
 Studio 3: le matrici familiari e i suoi principali risorse relazionali che hanno supportato i soggetti durante la loro esperienza come sequestrati e come guerriglieri e una volta rientrano in società. Sono analizzati i tre assi delle matrici familiari (le origini, i rapporti di coppia e il passaggio generazionale –Cigoli & Tamanza, 2009- e le risorse che possono alimentare la resilienza familiare (Walsh, 2005) Gli studi cercano di superare la dicotomia vittima/carnefice, che organizza l’opinione pubblica colombiana e le rappresentazioni sociali delle figure di ex-sequestrati (le vittime) ed ex-guerriglieri (i carnefici). I risultati degli studi effettuati possono fornire strumenti utili per orientare l’intervento clinico e favorire il processo di reintegrazione sociale. Si presentano a sua volta nuovi approcci che includono il lavoro decisivo delle comunità e delle famiglie, che si presentano come attori partecipativi e non passivi e vittimizzati come generalmente sono trattati. / The current research (with a qualitative-hermeneutic approach) explores the phenomenon of Colombian armed conflict. It is specifically focus on social reintegration process and the subjective experience of ex combatants and ex abducted people. The study of the phenomenon in its clinical and sociopolitical complexity, articulates three vertices of analysis: Study 1: Social representations, around the current armed conflict and its involved figures. Study 2: The principal models of intervention offered by two organizations that work directly with ex abducted people (País Libre Foundation) and with demobilized people from illegal groups (Colombian Agency for Reintegration, “ACR”). Study 3: Family patterns, and its principal relational resources tan have supported subjects during their experience as abducted or combatants and once their return to society. The three axes of family patterns were explored (the origins, the couple relationship and the generational passage –Cigoli & Tamanza-) and the resources that can support family resilience (Walsh, 2005). Results break traditional polarization on the lectures around Colombian armed conflict. The present research transcends the individual study of involved participants and of implications of traumatic facts, to explore inside their relationships and resources. New approaches are presented to orientate interventions in clinical psychology that could be helpful to social reintegration process. It is also presented a new approach that includes the decisive role of families and communities as active actors instead of passive and victimized as they have been generally treated.