The impact of attitudes to social environment on the determinants of law-abiding behaviour in previously convicted youth: An empirical study

Abstract

This article looks at the development of law-abiding behaviour in young people. It shows that a low level of lawabiding behaviour is associated with growing criminalization among young people. The analysis of theoretical prerequisites for the formation of law-abiding behaviour shows that this process is based on relationship between the individual and his/her environment, the latter being responsible for socialization, control and regulation of law-abiding behaviour. The environment’s role is considered through the prism of the ’s idea of value-will and socio-emotional motives of law-abiding behaviour. The assumption of a multifaceted influence of social environment on motivation for law-abiding behaviour is put forward and empirically verified. The empirical research is aimed at testing the hypothesis about the influence of attitudes to social environment on the manifestation of two motives behind law-abiding behaviour – the internal (value and will) and the external (social-emotional) one. Data collection is based on a survey carried out with the help of such sets of methods as ‘Assessment of interaction with social environment’ and ‘Motives of law-abiding behavioural orientation’. The method used for processing the results is a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with the calculation of Wilks’ lambda. The consistency of statements is checked by the a-Cronbach test and Pearson correlation calculation. Admissibility is checked by the Shapiro–Wilks criterion. The study sample includes 434 males with the mean age of 22.1 years, SD = 4.1 years, serving sentences in correctional facilities of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. The sample comprises individuals with different levels of criminality. The results indicate that the external motive of law-abiding behaviour has been formed and that young people serving a criminal sentence in the form of imprisonment are not convinced of the value of a law-abiding way of life; nor do they have a principled desire to follow the law.