Determinants and Risk Factors of Youth Delinquency: A Systemic Model and Integrated Prevention Mechanisms

This paper examines the determinants and risk factors of youth delinquency through a multi-level (micro–meso–macro) systemic model. Within the current reform context, it highlights the “social prevention” principle, emphasizing risk reduction by addressing young people’s social and economic problems rather than relying primarily on punitive responses. The study also discusses the practical value of shifting from a punishment-centered approach to a risk-factor paradigm in designing targeted interventions. For Uzbekistan, the paper systematizes key risk drivers, including deficiencies in family-based legal education, the expansion of an uncontrolled digital environment, territorial socio-economic imbalances, and insufficiently targeted prevention measures. The conclusions propose strengthening school-based legal education, introducing a phased “Foundations of Law and Elements of Criminology” module for grades 7–11, and institutionalizing legal upbringing and mediation practices within educational institutions