| Abstract: | Juvenile delinquency is considered one of the most serious and challenging problems worldwide. Criminology provides a wide array of explanations for delinquency; however, the vast majority of the theories were applied and tested in Western societies. Therefore, the possibility of applying these theories to non‐Western societies is yet to be determined. This article will examine juvenile delinquency in Kuwait and will attempt to determine the relative effects of social disorganization on delinquency. The study will also test the effects of competing theories such as social control, strain, and differential association. Some researchers believe that urbanization, modernization, and social change lead to such problems. They believe that crime and delinquency can be viewed as an outcome of rapid social changes in societies, which in turn, lead to social disorganization. Faris (1948 ) believed that the decline of unity and harmony in a society is a major condition of social disorganization. Furthermore, Mowrer (1942 ) indicated that disorganization of society can produce many social problems such as divorce, delinquency, crimes, poverty, and unemployment. More recently, researchers viewed the concept of social disorganization as the inability of a local community to identify the common values of its residents and solve their problems ( Bursik, 1988 ; Bursik & Webb, 1982 ). This article explores the assumptions of this theory and other theories as they relate to the Kuwaiti society. |
