Family's Social Capital and Delinquency

Nowadays it is believed that social capital has influential role both in decreasing expenses of activities and people's success in attaining their aims. Social capital is one of the theories that explain social pathology by combining criminology theories with micro and macro level discussions about social structures and networks. This study empirically investigates the relationship between family social capital and youth delinquency by utilizing Coleman’s family social capital theory and Hirschie's social bonding theory. In order to investigate that relationship a sample population consisting of 410 third grade high school students studying during the year 1386-1387 in Sanandaj city is used. This study is a survey study and students answer the question in a self-report manner. Results of regression analysis based on gender of respondents indicate that inter-family cognitive social capital has the greatest power of explaining boy's delinquency meanwhile inter-family structural social capital has the greatest power of explaining girl's delinquency.