Reassessing the criminogenic risk of the ‘broken home’: the concept of ‘the good family’ from the perspective of young offenders in Trinidad and Tobago

Mendez, Melissa 2024. Reassessing the criminogenic risk of the ‘broken home’: the concept of ‘the good family’ from the perspective of young offenders in Trinidad and Tobago. The British Journal of Criminology: An International Review of Crime and Society , azae084. 10.1093/bjc/azae084

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Abstract

This paper, based on a qualitative study with incarcerated male young offenders in Trinidad and Tobago, explores participants’ conceptualizations of the impact of family background on adolescent offending. The paper challenges the civilized vs deviant dichotomy often proffered when discussing the presence (and absence) of fathers and offers a nuanced account of what makes a ‘good family’ and a ‘good father’ according to young offenders. Findings demonstrate participants’ preference for the nuclear family, irrespective of whether they were raised within supportive familial networks. These findings raise questions about the continued strength of historically resilient matrifocal support systems in the Caribbean.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	0007-0955
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	22 November 2024
Date of Acceptance:	6 November 2024
Last Modified:	28 Nov 2024 10:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/174244

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