Social Work Professionals Empowering Delinquent Youth's Resilience within the Criminal Justice System

The resilience of delinquent youth within the juvenile justice system is an area of growing interest and importance, especially for social workers involved in the field of custodial and non-custodial criminal sanctions. This research seeks to provide scientific explanations of the facts and psycho-social processes in the lives of delinquent minors, during the execution of a custodial or non-custodial educational measure, as a resource for developing practical intervention strategies by the social work professionals. The aim of the research is to explore the resilience of delinquent minors executing an educational measure while highlighting factors likely to inhibit or favor their resilience. The sample comprises 60 juvenile delinquents (30 under custodial measures and 30 under non-custodial educational measure). The research methods employed include focus group interviews, analysis of personal files, and brief individual interviews. Our research highlights the role of individual, family and contextual factors in shaping the resilience of delinquent youth. Understanding the interaction between these factors is crucial for professionals to design effective interventions that enhance resilience and reduce juvenile delinquency. The present research enhances social work practice by deepening comprehension of adaptive capacities and potential for positive change among delinquent youth. The discoveries hold significant implications for both policy and practice within the juvenile justice system, highlighting the importance of cultivating resilience and facilitating successful rehabilitation. Ultimately, this research endeavors to facilitate the creation of evidence-based interventions by social workers, empowering delinquent youth to overcome adversity and build better futures.


Keywords: resilience, delinquent youth, educational measures, effective interventions, social workers