The gang has been a focal concern in UK media, political discourse, policy, and policing interventions in the last decade, occupying the position of contemporary ‘folk devil’. Despite the heightened attention on urban ‘gang culture’, sociological research on gangs in the UK is limited. However, some sociologists do stress a deterministic relationship between gangs and black urban youth, rendering urban men a source of fascination and repulsion, easy scapegoats in explaining street violence. Arguably, current work that privileges the idea of gang membership misunderstands much about the lives of some men involved. This thesis contributes to correcting that misunderstanding. The study adopts a social constructionist perspective in understanding the (multiple) ways urban men in an inner city area of London construct their lives when immersed in what they refer to as being ‘on road’, a symbolic space in which everyday lives are played out. As a broadly ethnographic study, the data for the thesis were generated using participant observation and semi-structured interviews with a range of participants, including young and adult men. The study identifies three distinct ways in which some men become trapped in difficult experiences and identities ‘on road’. It focuses on the implications of the notion of ‘trappedness’ on their experiences in public space, employment opportunities and, self- identity. The ‘on road’ lives of the men in the study represent a paradox: the road appears to offer opportunity to build masculine identity but entangles them further in a trap, restricting freedom and stunting personal growth. This study has significance for sociological theory. Theoretically, the idea of being ‘on road’ can be understood as a discourse that persists in the language and symbolism that flows through these men’s experiences and narratives. As such the idea of ‘onroadness’ powerfully shapes all aspects of their lives. It is argued that more focus is needed on the psychosocial factors that force some men into volatile social worlds, and the personal contexts that frame local narratives of ‘on road’ culture, especially within wider experiences of friendship, faith, and identity. The thesis suggests that this form of analysis offers a critical explanatory framework within which it is possible to understand the lives of some of the young and adult men in certain inner city areas in the UK.

The primary objective of this thesis was to examine the relevance of intergovernmental decisions and western risk-focused social crime prevention to reducing youth crime within Chongqing, China. This involved a review of the existing literature that might be relevant to: (i) the current youth crime situation in the city of Chongqing, (ii) risk factors that might contribute to youth crime within Chongqing, (iii) the scientific evaluations of ‘evidence-based’ risk-focused crime prevention strategies for different age groups of youth, and (iv) implementation strategies for evidence-based innovations to reduce youth crime. Based on this knowledge, interviews with six key stakeholders of Chongqing were conducted for the purpose of obtaining initial perceptions regarding the utility and practicality of crime prevention through social development within Chongqing. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the preliminary relevance of western studies and action, recalls China’s endorsement of intergovernmental recommendations, and provides a foundation for further research.

Thesis (M.A. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Ṱhoḓisiso iyi yo sengulusa u tambudzwa ha vhana kha maṅwalwa a Tshivenḓa. U tambudzwa ha vhana a zwo ngo thoma ṋamusi nahone ndi zwithu zwi sa ṱanganedzei kha tshitshavha, tshi tou vha tshilonda tshine na u phuphwa tshi sa fhole kana yone tsilingwane. Kha ngudo iyi ho senguluswa u tambudzwa ha vhana nga nḓila dzo fhambanaho, zwi ṱuṱuwedzaho u tambudza vhana, masianditwa a u tambudzwa na zwiga tsumba zwa u tambudzwa ha vhana. Mawanwa o sumba uri vhana vha a tambudzwa lwa muhumbulo, u tambudzwa ha vhuvha na u tambudzwa nga u sa londwa kha bugu dzo topolwaho. Ṱhoḓisiso iyi yo wana uri vhana vha tambudzwaho lwa muhumbulo, nga u sa londwa na u tambudzwa lwa vhuvha vha lingedza nga nḓila dzoṱhe u shavha hayani, vha a ṱoḓa na u ḓivhulaha, vha dzula vho bilufhala na mashumele avho zwikoloni a a tsela fhasi ane a sa vhe maitele avhuḓi. Mawanwa o dovha hafhu a sumba uri vhatambudzi vha ṱuṱuwedzwa zwihulu nga matiitii, u sa ḓithonifha, u sa dzhiela nṱha pfunzo dza vhana na u nambatela kha mvelele U ḓimbadekanya na vhana nga vhabebi, u ḓivhadza vhashumelavhapo na tshipholisa nga ha nyeṱe iyi zwi nga khwiṋifhadza mashumele a vhana zwikoloni na u fhungudza u shavha mahayani na u ṱoḓa u ḓivhulaha ha vhana vhane vha khou tambudzwa nga nḓila dzo fhambanaho. Ngudo iyi yo shumisa maṅwalwa o tou topolwaho u kuvhanganya mafhungo nga ha u tambudzwa ha vhana. Mawanwa o saukanyiwa hu tshi tevhelwa thero dzi fanaho kha maṅwalwa oṱhe. Zwinzhi zwi kha ḓi tea u itwa u itela u thivhela nyeṱe iyi.Themendelo dza mawanwa dzo itwa u itela u thivhela khombo.

The purpose for this qualitative study is to examine the crime prevention strategies against youth crime within non-state actors' work. As well as obtaining views of successes and challenges of this work in practice. Youth crime is a major area of interest within criminology, and in recent years much interest has been directed at problems that arise in the so-called vulnerable areas of Sweden, where young people are at risk of being drawn into crime. Information has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with nine people representing seven different organizations / associations. The actors work with young people in one way or another through sports activities, mentor programs or independent youth centers; and most actors are active in vulnerable areas. The results show that it seems important to have committed adults in order to engage and gain trust from the young people. Further strategies for activating the young people in prosocial activities is revealed, as well as to spread good attitudes among the youths. The findings are put within the framework of criminological theories in order to discuss / <p>2021-01-13</p>

This study has several objectives: (1) To explore the underlying factors behind male youth criminality; (2) what intervention measures and preventive work organizations and authorities use, and finally, (3) how well these measures are linked to evidence. The study has used a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews have been conducted. The sample consists of individuals who have worked for at least one year with youth criminality. The results showed several different underlying factors that lead to criminality, the most prevalent factors that were addressed were association, family, socio-economic status (SES), money and status. The most recurring intervention measures that were raised were conversations in various forms such as discussion groups; coaching; MI; contact persons; but also forms of education such as lectures were brought up as a type of intervention. The main takeaway point of the study is that the interventions currently used are linked to established evidence, but also that the interviewed respondents agreed that socio-economic status plays a major factor in youth criminality. What we have also reached the conclusion is that it is not only the social or individual aspects that influence whether individuals initiate a criminal career, but that the these interact with each other. / Syftet med detta arbete är att: (1) undersöka bakomliggande faktorer till varför unga män blir brottsbenägna, (2) vilka interventionsinsatser och förebyggande arbete som organisationer och myndigheter använder och (3) hur väl länkade de är till evidens. Studien har använt sig utav en kvalitativ ansats och det har genomförts semistrukturerade intervjuer. Urvalet består av individer som arbetat i minst ett år med frågan om ungdomskriminalitet. Resultatet pekar på flera olika bakomliggande faktorer som leder till brottsbenägenhet, de mest återkommande faktorerna som tog upp var umgänge, familj, socioekonomisk ställning (SES), pengar och status. De mest återkommande interventionsinsatserna som togs upp var samtal i olika former såsom samtalsgrupper, coachning, MI, kontaktperson men även utbildningsformer såsom föreläsningar togs upp som en typ av insats. Slutsatsen av hela arbetet är framförallt att de interventionsinsatser som används är länkade till etablerad evidens, men även att de respondenter som intervjuas instämmer i att den socioekonomiska statusen spelar en stor faktor till ungdomskriminaliteten. Det vi även har kommit fram till är att det inte enbart är de sociala eller individuella aspekterna som påverkar individen till att begå brott, utan dessa aspekter samspelar med varandra.

Thesis (M. A. (Criminology and Criminal Justice)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The rise of crime committed by young offenders in South Africa has become a major concern (Pelser 2008:1). The Mentz community – a small township situated in GaMamabolo - likewise experiences high levels of crime and violence, much of which is committed by young, unemployed offenders. Although the findings in this research are not necessarily applicable to other places in South Africa, it is the researcher’s opinion that the situation in Mentz Village is representative of many other places in this country, especially in rural areas. This study investigated crime among the youth in Mentz Village and focused on factors that contribute to crime among the youth. Qualitative methodology had been employed in this study and case studies, together with semi-structured interviews, were used to obtain information. Keywords: Youth crime, Mentz Village, unemployment, fatherlessness, quiting school, alcohol and drug abuse, police corruption, peer influence, Self confessed criminals.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur skola, socialtjänst, polis och fritidsverksamhet i Malmö arbetar förebyggande mot ungdomsbrottslighet och narkotikabruk bland unga inom samverkansforumet SSPF. Vidare ämnade studien att undersöka vilka för- och nackdelar aktörerna upplevde med samverkan. Studien utgick från en kvalitativ metod som baserats på semistrukturerade intervjuer med yrkesverksamma inom samverkansforumet i Malmö. Materialet analyserades genom en tematisk analys. Resultatet jämfördes med en tidigare genomförd utvärdering av SSPF i Göteborg och Mölndal och analyserades utifrån tidigare forskning inom ämnesområdet samverkan. Resultatet visade att SSPF tillämpas för att arbeta brotts- och narkotikaförebyggande mot ungdomar i riskzon på både grupp- och områdesnivå i Malmö. Utifrån intervjuerna framkom resursbrist och bristande engagemang från aktörer som begränsande faktorer för samverkansarbetet. Vidare ansågs samverkan leda till en stor intern nytta i form av förbättrad kommunikation mellan aktörerna och ett vidgat kontaktnät. Intervjudeltagarna upplevde även att samverkan möjliggör ett effektiviserat brotts- och narkotikaförebyggande arbete då samtliga aktörers kunskap och erfarenheter inom området kan utnyttjas till fullo. Studiens resultat visar på likheter mellan Malmö, Göteborg och Mölndal, såsom uppfattningen av syftet med SSPF, resursbrister som hindrar samverkan, och en splittrad syn på nivån av den externa nyttan. Den stora skillnaden mellan kommunerna är det grundläggande arbetssättet där Malmö arbetar på grupp- och områdesnivå medan Göteborg och Mölndal arbetar på individnivå. / The aim of this study was to examine how schools, social services, police and leisure sector in Malmö work preventively against youth criminality and drug use within the cooperation forum SSPF. Furthermore, the study aimed to investigate which advantages and disadvantages the actors experienced with the cooperation. The study was based on a qualitative method based on semi-structured interviews with professionals within the cooperation forum in Malmö. The material was analyzed through a thematic analysis. The result was compared with a previously carried out evaluation of SSPF in Gothenburg and Mölndal and was analysed based on previous research in the subject area of ​​cooperation. The result showed that SSPF is applied to work preventatively against crime and drug use among youths at risk at both group and area level in Malmö. Based on the interviews, a lack of resources and a lack of commitment from actors emerged as limiting factors for collaborative work. Furthermore, the collaboration was considered to lead to a great internal benefit in the form of improved communication between the actors and an expanded network of contacts. The interview participants also felt that cooperation enables more efficient crime and drug prevention work, as the knowledge and experience of all actors in the field can be used to the full. The study's results show similarities between Malmö, Gothenburg and Mölndal, such as the perception of the purpose of the SSPF, resource shortages that hinder collaboration, and a divided view of the level of the external benefit. The big difference between the municipalities is the basic way of working, where Malmö works at the group and area level, while Gothenburg and Mölndal work at the individual level.

The current study focuses on how the police work to efficiently and effectively prevent juvenile delinquency and how they experience their work with criminal youth. As well as how the police experiences the work effectiveness. The study has been carried out using four semistructured interviews with law enforcers in Sweden working with different tasks. The results showed that some things could be done differently in the practical work against juvenile delinquency, however cooperation between different authorities; the police, social workers and schools, is of great importance. An effort should be made by the police to build relationships between them and the youths in order to prevent forming a negative image of the police. To put in early prevention strategies can have both positive and negatives on the youths. / Den aktuella studien syftar till att ta reda på hur polisen arbetar proaktivt mot ungdomskriminalitet och hur de upplever sitt arbete med kriminella ungdomar. Studien har utförts med hjälp av fyra stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer med poliser som arbetar med olika arbetsuppgifter. Resultatet visade att det kan skilja sig något i det praktiska arbetet mot ungdomskriminalitet, men samverkan mellan olika verksamheter är av stor vikt. Det krävs en ansträngning från polisens sida att bygga relationer med ungdomarna för att motverka att en negativ bild av polisen skapas. Tidiga insatser kan få både negativa och positiva effekter.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate how we can understand the correlation between social vulnerability and crime among young men with a foreign background. I intend to highlight the reality of the everyday life of six convicted young men shortly before they committed criminal acts as I aim to understand the influence of socioeconomic risk factors in their lives. The selected research method is a qualitative text analysis based on a true criminal case which occurred in a disadvantaged Stockholm suburb. The selected young men who appear in this study are aged between 17-21 and were among the main suspects. The empirical data consists of verbatim transcripts of interrogation interviews with police investigators and the court verdict. The study’s results have been analyzed based on the theory of dynamics of human behavior and on the basis of risk factors. The results show that all the young men have poor school results, poor communication with their family and that all live in cramped housing conditions that does not offer enough opportunity for private space. Several of the young men lack income and employment and are financially supported by family members. In summary, the results show that the social risk factors that occur in their lives are similar and that their current life situation is a result of the social existence in which they reside.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka samverkan mellan socialtjänst, skola, polis och fritid vid förebyggande arbete mot ungdomskriminalitet. Studien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ forskningsmetod genom att semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts med yrkesverksamma inom samverkansformen SSPF (socialtjänst, skola, polis, fritid) i en landsbygdskommun i Sverige. Materialet analyserades genom en tematisk analys och därigenom framkom fyra huvudteman: organisering av SSPF i en landsbygdskommun, professionellas erfarenheter av SSPF-samverkan, variationer i de professionellas uppfattningar om SSPF och verksamhetens utvecklingsmöjligheter. Resultatet av studien analyserades med hjälp av tidigare forskning kring ämnet och Horwath och Morrisons samverkansmodell. Utifrån intervjuerna framkommer det att landsbygdskommunen använder samverkansmodellen SSPF för att arbeta förebyggande mot ungdomar i riskzonen för kriminalitet och missbruk. Det belyses att en styrgrupp, arbetsgrupp och samordnare är centralt för organiseringen av SSPF-samverkan. Gynnsamma faktorer som framkommer för SSPF-samverkan är en samordnare, förmedling av samt förståelse för syfte och mål med SSPF och relevanta personer i SSPF-forumet. Förhindrande faktorer som framkommer för SSPF-samverkan är socialtjänstens lagstiftning och att det i SSPF-forumet i första hand lyfts ungdomar som är kända hos aktörer. / The aim of this study is to examine collaboration between social services, school, police, and leisure sector when working preventive against youth criminality. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals within the collaboration-model SSPF in a Swedish rural municipality. The research questions were investigated by conducting a thematic analysis of the data. Four main themes emerged in the analysis: organization of SSPF in a rural municipality, professionals experiences of SSPF collaboration, variations in professionals’ perceptions of SSPF and the potentialities of the operations. The results of the study were analyzed using previous research around the subject and Horwath and Morrison’s collaboration model. The interviews demonstrated that the rural municipality uses the collaboration model SSPF to work preventively for young people at risk for crime and addiction. A steering group, working group and a co-ordinator appeared significant for the organization of SSPF collaboration. Favourable factors for the SSPF collaboration that appeared were a co-ordinator, communication and understanding of the purpose and goals of SSPF, and appropriate members in the SSPF forum. Preventive factors of the SSPF collaboration included the legislation of the social services and the principle that in SSPF it was mainly young people who were already known by the participants that were discussed.