Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

This study identifies factors that influence crime and antisocial behaviour among the youth in South Africa, particularly the youth that participated in the diversion programme at The National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO), Durban. The study utilised a qualitative research methodology design and employed purposeful non-probability sampling involving youth who had been referred to NICRO in Durban. The findings of this study established various factors that influence antisocial behaviour among youth, including the psychological stress of the individual, instable socioeconomic conditions, peer pressure and dysfunctional relations. Based on the findings of the study it is evident that these factors do not function independently but affect one another, the study demonstrated that there is no single factor that is dominant enough to foresee with certainty which youth will become troublesome or criminally involve. Hence, it is essential to understand the root of antisocial behaviour to ensure that the youth criminality is curbed in South Africa.