Juvenile delinquency in Chinese adolescents : An ecological review of the literature

Juvenile delinquency is a serious concern in China. This article provides a comprehensive review of studies on Chinese juvenile delinquent behaviors over the last two decades. Forty-five peer-reviewed studies were identified through a four-step selection procedure, and their empirical findings were organized according to ecological system theory. The findings indicate that micro-level factors (i.e., age, gender, self-control, parent-child relationship, peer influence, and school attachment), meso-level factors (i.e., interactions between self-control, family, and school), exo-level factors (i.e., socioeconomic status and community), and macro-level factors (i.e., stereotypes and culture) are associated with increased involvement in juvenile delinquency. Multiple implications for practice and policy are discussed, followed by the limitations of current research and suggestions for future research.