Objectives. The objective of the study was to identify the most common predictors and protective factors regarding juvenile violence as revealed by the scientific literature. Material and methods. Information was searched in the APA PsycNet and PubMed platforms. Longitudinal studies were chosen, which evaluated potential risk or protective factors in violent manifestation and whose samples had an average age of 14-21 years at the time of the violence risk assessment. 39 papers that met the inclusion criteria were retained. Results. The main classes of risk factors were family difficulties: family violence, parent-child conflicts, etc.; individual psychological triggering factors like: anger, low self-control, etc.; history of victimization; school problems: learning difficulties, negative models in school, etc.; substance use; early violent manifestation; the negative influence of the neighborhood. The major categories of the protective factors referred to the favorable family climate: parental involvement, connection with parents, etc.; the presence of beneficial individual psychological factors: emotional well-being, high levels of emotional regulation, etc.; the existence of a positive school climate: school satisfaction, school connectedness, etc. Certain factors were significant only for girls (e.g., religiosity as a protective factor, somatic complaints as a risk factor), and others were significant only for boys (e.g., carrying weapons to school as a risk factor, parental monitoring as a protective factor). Conclusions. Family, individual psychological, and school factors can have both a predictive and a protective role in violence. Amplifying the beneficial dimensions of these factors may contribute to reducing the risk of antisocial behaviors among adolescents. Keywords: violence, adolescents, risk factors, protective factors.

Objectives. The gangs came to the attention of the authorities because of the criminal nature of some of them. To understand which are the appropriate measures to prevent and reduce gang delinquency, this paper aimed at identifying the predictors of adolescents' belonging to such groups. Material and methods. Relevant articles published between 2010 and 2020, were searched in three access platforms to the scientific literature. The papers based on the quantitative analysis of the data, which evaluated the predictors of the involvement of adolescents aged 14-21 in gangs, were preserved. Results. Resulting in 33 significant articles, with samples between 75-26232 participants, 11 studies had a longitudinal design, the rest being cross-sectional. Most studies were conducted in the USA, and the rest in European, American, African, and Asian countries. Three categories of predictors were distinguished: familial factors (e.g. deficient parenting, domestic violence), personal factors (e.g. trauma history, low level of self-control), social and economic factors (e.g. criminogenic neighborhood, material and financial instability). The most common predictor was the criminogenic neighborhood, identified by 16 studies. There were also highlighted gender differences regarding gang membership, adolescent boys being more likely to be gang members. Conclusions. This systematic review highlighted that the main factors that can compete to adolescent gang involvement are: criminogenic social environment, low level of self-control, dysfunctional family-educational environment, and low socioeconomic level. As research has shown that many of these can be risk factors for violence, it is necessary to develop coping strategies and heal traumas to prevent the formation and maintenance of the antisocial identity of adolescent gangs. Keywords: gang, clique, adolescents, violence.

Obiectives. This systematic review aimed to explore the relationship between low self-control and risky behaviors, in order to identify prophylactic and interventional measures to reduce the dangers to which some adolescents may be exposed. Material and methods. Using the APA PsycNet and PubMed platforms, studies that investigated the link between self-control and risk were sought. Of the 2707 articles initially obtained, it was opted for studies in English, with the average age of the participants between 14-21 years old. Results. The 61 selected articles revealed seven categories of risks associated with a low level of self-regulation: substance use – 28 studies, aggressive manifestation – 13 studies, delinquency – 10 studies, risky sexual behaviors – 8 studies, living the situation of a victim – 4 studies, gambling – 2 studies, other risky behaviors (consumption of unhealthy foods, compulsive manifestations, executive dysfunctions, etc.) – 9 studies. Some authors have shown that self-control can hold both a mediator and a moderator role between certain predictors and risky behaviors. Also, the relationship between self-control and risky behaviors can be influenced by intermediate variables: substance use, volume of the left orbitofrontal cortex (mediators); school climate (moderator). Five studies indicated that boys showed less self-control capacity than girls, and two other studies showed the opposite. Conclusions. Designing and implementing some individual and group intervention programs, with a focus on acquiring behavioral control skills, can be useful in preventing risky behaviors in adolescents, especially substance use, aggressive manifestations, delinquency, etc. It is also important that the management of one’s own emotions be learned from pre-adolescence, the involvement of parents being essential in this psycho-educational approach. Keywords: self-control; adolescence; impulsivity; risky behaviors.

Objective. This study analyzed the personality traits that may characterize offenders convicted of rape and violent acts. Material and methods. The study involved 850 incarcerated individuals, permanently sentenced and detained within the National Penitentiary Administration of Romania. Participants were aged between 21 and 71 years (MD = 38.7), with 3% being female. The CP5F Personality Questionnaire and a thematic omnibus questionnaire were applied. Results. The analysis revealed that the prisoners who committed a violent act had statistically significantly higher scores on the Extraversion scales (M = 72.14, SD = 11.43; M =70.24, SD =9.58), t(848) = 8.47, p < .05., Emotional Stability (M = 80.22, SD = 10.96; M =77.76, SD =10.82), t(848) = .51, p < .005, and Autonomy (M = 76.12, SD = 9.49; M =74.56, SD =8.25), t(848) = 7.15, p < .05, than the non-violent ones. Prisoners who committed the crime of rape have lower scores on Conscientiousness (M = 99.7783), Emotional Stability (M = 76.6179), and Autonomy (M = 74.0189) compared to those who committed crimes in other categories. Conclusions. The entire sample is characterized by low levels of Emotional Stability and Autonomy. Violent offenders were specifically characterized by lower levels of Extraversion, while rape offenders displayed notably lower levels of Conscientiousness. The present study suggests that there is an urgent need for specialized interventions by considering the psychological aspects that characterize the type of crime committed. Keywords: personality traits, prisoner, crime, violence, rape.

This study examined how affective distress, self-esteem, and personality traits are related among detained young adults, and how these factors connect to rehabilitation-relevant risk factors. The sample included 455 participants (18–25 years, M = 21.31, SD = 2.32; 97.8% male), recruited from educational, detention and prison centers. CP5F, RSES, and PDA were used, and analyses included Mann–Whitney tests, linear regression, and mediation models. The results showed that placement history predicted higher levels of Depression and Total Distress, as well as lower self-esteem, while access to intimate visits was associated with lower levels of Sadness and Total Distress. The diagnosis of chronic/psychiatric illness, suicide attempts, and trauma in the family of origin were associated with higher levels of distress, while diagnosis, suicide attempts, and a history of recidivism were also associated with lower self-esteem. In the regression model, Depression was negatively associated with self-esteem, whereas Concern showed a positive association (R² = 0.18). In the parallel mediation model, the Dysfunctional Score was negatively associated with self-esteem both directly and indirectly, through Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability; Autonomy showed no mediating effect and the indirect effect of Agreeableness, significant in the individual model, became non-significant when tested alongside the other mediators. The total indirect effect and the direct effect were both significant in the parallel mediation model. The conclusions highlight the central role of affective distress in lowering self-esteem and support the need for early psychological screening and detention interventions aimed at reducing distress and strengthening emotional stability.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26758/14.1.18 National Correctional Officers Training School Târgu Ocna, Department of Law, Social Sciences and Humanities, Tisești stre