This study examines the mediating effect of social bonding on delinquent behavior among Kurdish teens. Major influences to the study of self concept and delinquency based on Hirschi’s social bonding theory are reviewed. The data was collected from a sample of 100 Kurdish teens attending a Gülen affiliated school (Private Çaglayan Murat Anatolian Science High School in Şanlıurfa, Turkey) and 100 Kurdish teens attending a public (non- Gülen) school (The Public High School in Diyarbakır, Turkey). There are two dependent variables for this research project: Involvement in major delinquency and involvement in minor delinquency. The components of social bonding attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief were used as independent variables. Participants’ age ranged between 16 to 18 years. I hypothesize that the relation between the social bonding elements and delinquency should be stronger in the case of Kurdish adolescents who are more attached to conventional Turkish society. Results from binary logistic regression analyses indicate that in the absence of bonding, Kurdish teenagers tend to engage in major and minor delinquent activities. For further exploration and results, the Gülen Movement was examined as an independent variable. Findings suggest a strong relationship between the Gülen Movement and Kurdish adolescents’ probability of involvement in either major or minor delinquent activities. Finally, several directions for future research on Hirschi’s social bonding theory are recommended and some implications are drawn for deterring Kurdish adolescents from becoming involved in delinquent actions.

This thesis explored whether youth mentoring could be used as a crime prevention strategy for Ontario. It examined risk factors for youth crime and social bonding theory, the effectiveness of selected programs to prevent crime and best practices, and Ontario government reports on effective crime prevention. It also explored youth mentoring in practice with some mentors from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa and Sudbury Ontario. The analysis of the literature on risk factors for youth crime identified a number of individual, relationship, community, and societal level factors that correlate with the likelihood of a young person engaging in crime. Travis Hirschi’s social bonding theory provided a lens to understand the contribution mentoring can have on preventing crime through attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief with parents and schools. The evidence-based research on the effectiveness of selected programs that had a mentoring component showed that the likelihood of offending could be reduced with other well-being indicators. Research on mentoring relationships showed that when mentors focused on the assets of the youth and were committed to the relationship, they could foster a lasting emotional bond. Best practices of an effective youth mentoring program included outreaching to vulnerable youth, involving parents, screening and training mentors, matching mentors and mentees based on background, having mentoring connected to a larger strategy, following a developmental approach, and developing standards for implementation. The recent reports from the Province of Ontario on crime prevention and community safety use much of the same evidence on risk factors and social development programs to confirm that prevention is an effective way to reduce crime. These reports also point to strong public support for government investment in prevention and education over punishment. The semi-structured interviews with mentoring practitioners in Sudbury and Ottawa, Ontario analyzed the methods used by mentors volunteering with high-risk youth in the Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based program. Results showed the organizational procedure, youth and risk factors, the bonding process between mentors and mentees, and challenges of mentoring at-risk youth were important. Mentors had positive beliefs on the impacts mentoring had on preventing crime and violence. Therefore, youth mentoring is a crime prevention strategy consistent with evidence and government reports and so is viable, but will require political support and investment upstream to make a difference across the province.

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O presente estudo procura sistematizar literatura, dados e informações sobre o processo da comunicação no contexto da sociedade contemporânea em mutação e relacioná-lo com as indicações que apontam as mudanças no sentido do trabalho na organização da vida atual. Assume-se aqui a hipótese de que o processo comunicacional contemporâneo reflete hoje mudanças de valores que se dão na crescente retomada da centralidade da vida humana, ao mesmo tempo em que deslocam e rearticulam os sentidos de compreensão do trabalho. / This study aims at reviewing the literature, data and information on communication process in the context of contemporary society in transformation and relates it to indications that point towards changes in the meaning of work in the organization of current life. It is assumed here the hypothesis that contemporary communication process reflects modifications in values that happen in the human life centrality increase, while moves and readjusts the meanings of work understanding.

Prescription ADHD medication has been shown to be on the rise as a drug of abuse among young people. Unlike other drugs that serve only the purpose of achieving a high, this particular substance can also be perceived as useful and beneficial by those who abuse it. It is these positive attributes given to the illicit use of these drugs that make them so dangerous, especially in the hands of youths. To date extant research has made little effort to contextualize this type of drug use within theories of deviance. This study looks to fill that void as well as bridge the gap between current epidemiological studies on this topic and future etiological studies looking to assess causation within a theoretical context. Examining a national sample of 12th grade students (N=2,384), this study looks at what risk factors and predictors exist for the illicit use of ADHD medication. By testing aspects of social bonding and social learning theories, the goal is to assess which theory can best predict this type of drug use. Due to the low proportion of users, a rare events logistic regression is utilized in the analysis. While social learning items were able to account for the greatest level of variance in use, many of the findings contradict the theory, and therefore no theoretically based conclusions can be made at this time. Overall, more research needed on this topic using better fitting data tailored for theoretical interpretation. Considerations for future studies are also discussed.

Research indicates that school engagement (SE) and delinquency affect one another and share numerous common causes; however, little literature exists regarding the temporal nature of this relationship. Using the data set from the Children and Young Adult Sample of the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the proposed study will estimate the reciprocal effects of SE and delinquency across time using latent variable structural equation modeling. Specifically, social bonding theory (Hirschi, 2002), strain theory (Agnew, 1992), and the participation-identification model of SE (Finn, 1989), will be drawn upon to create and analyze a cross-lagged panel model. Additionally, this study will identify ages during which school disengagement is most likely to result in participation in delinquent activities. / text

O presente estudo procura sistematizar literatura, dados e informações sobre o processo da comunicação no contexto da sociedade contemporânea em mutação e relacioná-lo com as indicações que apontam as mudanças no sentido do trabalho na organização da vida atual. Assume-se aqui a hipótese de que o processo comunicacional contemporâneo reflete hoje mudanças de valores que se dão na crescente retomada da centralidade da vida humana, ao mesmo tempo em que deslocam e rearticulam os sentidos de compreensão do trabalho. / This study aims at reviewing the literature, data and information on communication process in the context of contemporary society in transformation and relates it to indications that point towards changes in the meaning of work in the organization of current life. It is assumed here the hypothesis that contemporary communication process reflects modifications in values that happen in the human life centrality increase, while moves and readjusts the meanings of work understanding.

Cannabis use is illegal according to swedish drugpolicy. Self-reported data shows that cannabis is the most common drug used by adolescents in Sweden. Among results from previous studies several findings indicate a strong correlation between cannabis use during adolscence and failure in school, poor parental ties and criminal behaviour. This study used a school-based sample of adolescents in Stockholm. The main focus of this study was to examine if social factors linked to Hirschi's social bonding theory affect if adolescents used cannabis. Results from a logistic regression analysis partly supported Hirschi's theory. The results suggested that cigarettesmoking and alcohol intoxication are the two strongest factors which affect if adolescents use cannabis. Findings also indicated that young cannabis users tend to have friends who use illegal drugs. / Att bruka cannabis är illegalt enligt svensk narkotikapolitik. Självrapporterad data visar att cannabis är det mest vanliga narkotikaklassade preparatet som används bland ungdomar i Sverige. Av tidigare studier indikerar resultat att det finns ett samband mellan cannabisbruk i ungdomen och misslyckand i skolan, svag anknytning till föräldrar och brottsligt beteende. Denna studie använde ett skolbaserat urval av ungdomar i Stockholms stad. Huvudfokus i studien var att undersöka om faktorer, kopplade till Hirschis sociala bandteori, påverkar om ungdomar använder cannabis. Resultat från en logistisk regressionsanalys gav delvis stöd åt Hirschis teori. Resultaten indikerar att rökning av tobak och berusningsdrickande är de faktorer som mest påverkar att ungdomar använder cannabis. Resultaten indikerar också på att unga som använt cannabis tenderar att ha vänner som använder illegala narkotiska preparat.

Marijuana is the most prevalent illicit drug used in the world and among Turkish juveniles. Although studies have examined marijuana use among Turkish juveniles, none has tested Hirschi's social bonding theory, one of the most frequently tested and applied criminological theories in the United States and other Western and developed countries. This study investigated the empirical validity and generalizability of Hirschi's theory to juveniles' marijuana use in Turkey, a non-Western and developing country. Data on 2,740 Turkish tenth grade students from the 2006 Youth in Europe survey were used. Results from binary logistic regression analyses were generally consistent with the propositions of Hirschi's theory and the findings of previous empirical studies. Regarding the attachment component of the theory, Turkish juveniles who lived in two-parent families and those who were closely monitored by their parents were less likely to have tried marijuana. In addition, teens who were strongly attached to their school and religion were also less likely to have used the drug. As for the commitment component, language grade was negatively associated with marijuana use. None of the involvement items had significant effects on marijuana use in the predicted direction. Participation in club sports had a positive effect on marijuana use. Belief items, such as acceptance of societal norms, values, and rules, had the predicted inhibiting effects on teens' marijuana use. Of the six sociodemographic/controls included in the analyses, only gender had a significant effect; male students were more likely to have tried marijuana than the female peers. Policy implications of the results for adolescents, parents, and schools are discussed.