The frequency and generalization of social speech confirm the ever increasing number of youth transgressions classified as juvenile delinquency. To investigate the scientific results published in journals indexed in Medline, Lilacs and PsycINFO databases concerned with the concept of juvenile delinquency between 1995 and 2005 as well as to analyse the questions related to the core of such a phenomenon under a sociological and psychological point of view were set out as the main objectives of this study. Thirty articles were identified, of which 23 were selected and 20 were located. The study of this literature allowed us to distinguish a normative conduct from a pathological delinquent behaviour examined according to current models of social control, identity/subculture and psychoanalytical theories. The need for primary prophylactic intervention based on the recognition of risk factors, which render certain groups vulnerable, was also reinforced and some of the main treatment strategies were presented in the end thus creating new opportunities for future research propositions.
Behaviour; juvenile delinquency; psychopathy