An Application of General Strain Theory to Korean AdolescentsPaperback, 10 December 2008

Juvenile delinquency has been a constant public concern in most of the countries. Rising amount of crime and violence among youths has called for academic attention, and their findings have broadened our understanding of delinquency. Although much effort has been invested in keeping youths safe in South Korea, there is the lack of empirical knowledge on delinquency. This study is designed to test general strain theory in the Korea setting, and examines the relationship between students' negative experiences at school and delinquency. This study views the higher-education oriented school culture as a major source of strain for youth. Hypotheses are tested with data collected by the Korean National Institute of Criminology from a sample of 1,919 middle/high school students within 20 schools. The results suggest that general strain theory holds true in the Korean school setting. The results also show that grades, bullying, internal pressure, and parents' income are positively related to delinquency. The results from this study should be useful to school authorities as well as anyone who may be interested in testing general strain theory for delinquency.