A study published in May in the journal PLOS ONE found that unstructured free time is strongly associated with delinquent behavior and exposure to violence among adolescents, according to research involving more than 58,000 youths from 21 countries. The findings were announced on Aug. 11 by researchers affiliated with the International Self-Report Delinquency Study consortium.
Marina Rezende Bazon, a psychologist and professor at the Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences, and Letters at the University of São Paulo who coordinates the Brazilian team in the ISRD, said, "The study shows that unstructured free time is a very important variable for understanding adolescents' involvement in violence." She explained that this concept refers to periods when adolescents decide for themselves what to do without adult supervision or participation in structured activities.
The study analyzed two main types of unstructured free time: at home—often related to internet use—and outside the home, which involves spending unsupervised time on streets or public spaces. Analyses indicated that association with delinquent peers was the strongest predictor of involvement in crime; however, unstructured free time was also an important explanatory factor across all surveyed countries. "When we combine delinquent peers and unstructured free time, we have a particularly problematic combination," Bazon said.
In Brazil, about 1,900 adolescents aged 13 to 17 participated by anonymously completing questionnaires administered on tablets. Rather than asking directly about criminal acts committed by respondents, researchers used self-reported methods such as asking if they had ever taken something from a store without paying. "Adolescents tend to respond quite honestly when anonymity is guaranteed," Bazon said. She added, "Official data reflect the activities of law enforcement agencies more than the phenomenon of youth violence itself." The survey also investigated victimization experiences related to discrimination or online offenses.
One finding highlighted an increase in female participation in online offenses concerning physical appearance. Bazon noted this may reflect changes in parental supervision patterns: "Girls have always been more closely supervised by their families than boys. But in the online environment, that difference has narrowed significantly." Researchers also observed higher rates among girls for behaviors classified as victim-aggressor overlap—adolescents who are both victims and perpetrators—which correlates with psychological distress and academic difficulties.
Bazon emphasized that juvenile delinquency appears across all socioeconomic classes but noted disparities exist regarding monitoring and institutionalization outcomes for poorer youths. She concluded, "Youth violence is a much broader and more cross-cutting phenomenon than what's seen only among institutionalized adolescents." The ISRD consortium plans further studies focusing on issues like misogyny and online hate crimes.
