Abstract

BASTOS, Samira Safadi  and  RABINOVICH, Elaine Pedreira. Medium class youngsters in conflict with the law and the authority issue. Estud. pesqui. psicol. [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.2, pp. 539-553. ISSN 1808-4281.

This work guiding question is how middle classes young people, in conflict with the law, perceive their entrance and permanence in criminality. Six urban young people, 16-19 years-old, both sexes, participated of this case study, three sentenced and three who did not pass by the juridical system. The standards used to classify young people as middle class were: revenue, neighborhood where the family lives, occupation and educational level of their parents. Two analysis levels took place as results: social, family and individual dimensions, and relational dynamics, one of these concerned to the exercise of authority and use of limits emphasized by the participants as a core issue referred to entrance and permanence in criminality. The absence of a legitimate social place of belongingness pointed to the need of (re) construction of values and family and community environments.

Keywords : youths; family; middle classes; infractional act.

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