Multifactorial Factors of Juvenile Delinquency in School Contexts: A Qualitative Study in Chetumal, Quintana Roo

Abstract

Juvenile delinquency within schools is neither a simple nor an isolated issue; rather, it arises from the interplay of various personal, familial, and social factors. This qualitative study examines the elements that influence secondary school students in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, to engage in behaviours classified as criminal offences, drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted with students to gain first-hand insight into their perceptions, experiences, and the relational dynamics shaping their conduct. The findings present a clear picture: the family environment, peer pressure, school-related dynamics, and the use of social media do not operate independently but instead converge to create a context of risk that directly affects adolescents’ decision-making. In other words, the issue cannot be attributed to a single causal factor, but rather to multiple elements that intersect and reinforce one another in everyday life. Accordingly, juvenile delinquency cannot be understood through a single-cause lens; instead, it reflects the convergence of structural conditions and daily experiences, highlighting the need for more comprehensive preventive strategies in which social proximity and community-based intervention play a central role.