Abstract :
[en] Situational action theory (SAT) has emphasized the interaction between individual and social
influences on youth crime involvement. In this study, attitudes towards violence, self-control
and perception of neighbourhood are tested in order to determine to what extent they predict
versatility in violent and non-violent offences. In order to attain this goal, 2309 Belgian
youths aged from 12 to 18 years were administered the Self-report Delinquency
Questionnaire. When the offences are divided into violent and non-violent versatilities, the
results show differences in the factors that predict delinquency; whereas attitudes towards
violence and self-control predict all type of offences, the perception of neighbourhood is
only a predictive factor for non-violent offences. External and internal factors need to be
included in order to predict the widest range of criminal versatility, since committing a crime
involves making choices that depend on the perceived alternatives.
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