TY - JOUR
T1 - Criminal sentiments and behaviours among young people in Hong Kong
AU - Chui, Wing Hong
AU - Cheng, Kevin Kwok-Yin
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Criminal attitudes have been found to influence criminal behaviour. Yet this is an understudied area in Hong Kong despite the scholarly interests in youth delinquency. In this study, we tested the relationship between criminal sentiments and social factors and illegal conduct among 942 Chinese youths (aged 14-18) in Hong Kong using the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). The results were mixed. While all the underlying factors of the CSS-M were found to be significant, only negative attitudes towards the Law-Court-Police and Identifications with Criminal Others had a positive relationship. Contrary to expectations, Tolerance for Law Violations had a negative correlation. Moreover, both social factors and criminal attitudes were found to be significant in influencing youths' criminal behaviour. The results are discussed in the Hong Kong Chinese context.
AB - Criminal attitudes have been found to influence criminal behaviour. Yet this is an understudied area in Hong Kong despite the scholarly interests in youth delinquency. In this study, we tested the relationship between criminal sentiments and social factors and illegal conduct among 942 Chinese youths (aged 14-18) in Hong Kong using the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). The results were mixed. While all the underlying factors of the CSS-M were found to be significant, only negative attitudes towards the Law-Court-Police and Identifications with Criminal Others had a positive relationship. Contrary to expectations, Tolerance for Law Violations had a negative correlation. Moreover, both social factors and criminal attitudes were found to be significant in influencing youths' criminal behaviour. The results are discussed in the Hong Kong Chinese context.
KW - criminal attitudes
KW - criminal behaviours
KW - Criminal Sentiments scale
KW - Hong Kong
KW - youth delinquency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893192339&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84893192339&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1080/02673843.2013.875479
DO - 10.1080/02673843.2013.875479
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
SN - 0267-3843
VL - 22
SP - 57
EP - 67
JO - International Journal of Adolescence and Youth
JF - International Journal of Adolescence and Youth
IS - 1
ER -