Different Worlds, Common Roots. a Multilevel Analysis of Youth Violence and Delinquency in the Netherlands Antilles as a Basis for Crime Prevention

Most research on the prevalence, determinants and variations of violence and delinquency among youngsters is conducted in Western societies. This multilevel study is set in the Netherlands Antilles (NA) and aims to build up prognostic multilevel models as a basis for targeted crime prevention in a non-western area. Data were collected from a sample of adolescents in the NA. Non-hierarchical and hierarchical analyses were used to investigate similarities and differences between individuals (n=7,842), neighborhoods (N=109) and islands (J=5) in the NA. Descriptive analyses of violence and delinquency are included. Associations and correlations with demographic variables, risk factors and protective factors and the variation on neighborhood and island level are analyzed. Subsequently, prognostic multilevel models are constructed of violence and delinquency among youngsters, by using different variables (socio-demographic factors, risk factors and protective factors) nested within different contexts (neighborhood and island) in the Netherlands Antilles. Risk and protective factors are also strong predictors of violence and delinquency among youngsters in this part of the non-western world. These factors should constitute important strategic targets for social policy and crime prevention. DIFFERENT WORLDS, COMMON ROOTS. A MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS OF YOUTH VIOLENCE AND DELINQUENCY IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES AS A BASIS FOR CRIME PREVENTION 116 / SOME YEARS OF COMMUNITIES THAT CARE