Some Aspects of the Development of the Penalty System in the German Democratic Republic

Data indicated that juvenile delinquency increased dramatically recently in the Republic of China. This paper seeks to explain this phenomenon by invoking Hirschi's Social Control Theory. However, such an explanation can be offered only when there is empirical evidence to verify the applicability of Social Control Theory to Chinese society.

Though Social Control Theory has received great empirical support from many American studies, cross-cultural verification remains to be seen. The study described here intends to test Social Control Theory by using self-reported data collected from 3717 Chinese junior and senior high school students of northern Taiwan. Major correlates of self-reported delinquency are presented and discussed. Apparently, Social Control Theory received much support from the Chinese data, while both strain theory and subculture deviance theory were not verified. Social Control Theory is said to be the most appropriate theory to explain the origin as well as the increase of juvenile delinquency in Chinese society.