Cogntitve and social influences on gang involvement among delinquents in three Chinese cittes

Inasmuch as research has held the increase in youth gang activities, responsi ble for the escalating level of crime and delinquency in Chinese societies, ascei taining risk or protective factors of gang involvement among Chinese youth is crucial. The factors include those associated with social control, social learning, and cognitive development. To investigate these factors across different sociocultural contexts, we surveyed delinquents in three diverse Chinese cities - Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Because of the sociocultural differences among the three cities, social control by parents and cognitive development are likely to be greater protective factors in terms of youths' gang involvement in Hong Kong, while social control by teachers is likely to be a greater protective factor in mainland cities. Results bear out these hypotheses.