Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Sina mahdavi damghani ¹
• Abdolreza javan jafari ²
• seyyed mohammad javad sadati ³

¹ MA graduate in Department of Criminal and Criminology Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

² Professor, Department of Criminal and Criminology Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

³ Assistant Prof, Department of Criminal and Criminology Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

The increase in violence among teenagers and young people is one of the basic problems of today's societies. One of the obvious results of the increase in violence is a significant increase in the rate of committing violent crimes, which itself leads to major problems in various economic, social and cultural fields. This descriptive-correlation research has been conducted with the aim of investigating effects of four variables: grade point average, ethnicity, economic ability and physical situations on the subculture of violence among teenage and young wrestlers in Mashhad city. The sample size of the research was determined using Cochran test of 170 people, and data collection was done in both library and field methods. According to results of research, there is significant relationship between variables of: average of education, ethnicity, and economic ability with the subculture of violence among samples, but we didn't find a significant relationship between physical situation of samples and their subculture of violence. Also, in this article we have tried to divide the different effective variable on abnormality into the two general categories and based on the field findings of this research explain how the affecting of these two categories.
Key words: Ethnicity, Academic average, the subculture of violence, Economic status, Physical situation
 
Introduction:
Violence is recognized as a manifestation of deviance in contemporary civilized and advanced societies. This phenomenon of deviance is significantly expanding in today's world, with a noticeable increase in the rates of violent crimes such as conflicts, assaults, violent thefts, etc. According to statistics, interviews, and reports from official sources, the rate of violent crimes has reached a significantly high level in recent years, showing a considerable increase compared to the past. This high rate becomes particularly concerning when accompanied by the participation of adolescents and young people.
Interestingly, based on numerous national and international reports, the rate of delinquency among adolescents and youth has consistently shown an increasing trend in recent decades. Various factors such as age, economic status, ethnicity, residential environment, cultural background, peer groups, family attachment, etc., influence the normative situation of individuals. In this present study, we intend to investigate the impact of four variables: ethnicity, economic status, academic performance, and physical condition of adolescents and young people on their subcultural violence.
It is worth mentioning that each of the mentioned variables has been extensively examined by many scholars, and their various effects on deviance have been explained in different theories. However, it is noteworthy that most theories focus on one or a few factors, attempting to explain and describe the causes of deviance from the perspective of those factors. Although these factors are influential in the normative situation of individuals, none of them is the sole determining factor. Many individuals exhibit deviant behavior despite possessing these factors.
Humans are complex beings, and their various behaviors are influenced by multiple factors. Therefore, theories that solely focus on one or a few limited aspects and variables lack the necessary capability to fully explain the causes of deviance. To better understand and explain the causes of deviance, it is necessary to develop and utilize integrated theories.
Methodology:
The research population of this study includes adolescent and young wrestlers in the city of Mashhad. Data collection was conducted through both library research and fieldwork. Relevant sections regarding the foundations and theoretical background were referred to library sources such as books, theses, and related articles. Additionally, to gather analyzable data, we used two data collection methods: observation and questionnaires.
The research sampling method was a multi-stage cluster sampling, and sports clubs and athletes were randomly selected. The Cochran test was used to determine and select the required number of athletes. Based on this, 170 questionnaires were distributed and collected among the research population, and the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software.
Result and Discussion:
Based on the research findings, there was no significant relationship between the physical condition of the samples and their violence. However, statistical tests revealed a significant inverse relationship between the academic performance of the samples and their violence. Therefore, it can be stated that with an increase in academic performance, a decrease in violence is observed, and with a decrease in academic performance, an increase in violence is observed. Additionally, based on the data, it must be acknowledged that there is a direct and significant relationship between the economic status of the samples and their violence. In other words, an increase in the economic power of the samples is associated with an increase in their violence, and a decrease in economic power is associated with a decrease in their violence. Finally, regarding the ethnicity variable, the analysis of research data indicates a significant relationship between non-Persian ethnicity and high levels of violence. The research findings also demonstrate that non-Persian samples have higher average economic power and subcultural violence compared to Persian samples.
In general, when examining different samples of the research, it is understood that adolescents and young people who have a strong tendency towards violence are usually non-Persian and have higher economic power than other samples. This statement contradicts the assumption that unfavorable economic conditions and poverty are effective factors in deviance. To explain this, it should be noted that the spectrum of violence reflected in the questionnaire is mostly related to criminal acts, rape, or offenses that, if committed, lead to consequences such as punishment and deprivation for the perpetrators. It is evident that individuals with higher economic power can tolerate higher levels of deprivation, and therefore, punishment against them will have less deterrent effect. This fact makes individuals with a violent mindset and higher economic power less deterred in similar situations.
Apart from the stated content, we can see many individuals with similar characteristics have not had a similar approach to violence and deviance. Observing this spectrum of individuals raises the question of why individuals with similar characteristics do not commit similar acts of deviance and do not have the same inclination towards deviance. To answer this question, one must become familiar with the concepts of fundamental and surficial components influencing deviance.
The concept of "fundamental components" in this research refers to the cultural status of individuals, meaning the norms, values, and beliefs accepted by them. On the other hand, "surficial components" refer to other external factors and components that affect an individual's status from outside the individual, including economic capacity, educational status, physical condition, peer groups, ethnicity, social environment, and other environmental factors.
In general, surficial components have dual effects, meaning they may enhance and intensify deviant behavior in one area and weaken or reduce the commission of deviance in another area. According to the research findings, surficial components can lead to changes or stability in fundamental components. Fundamental components, in turn, can be influential in the selection and strengthening or non-selection and non-strengthening of surficial components. This implies that individuals with different cultures and mental values may react differently to various factors in their environment.
Ultimately, through the interaction between surficial and fundamental components, different effects are created on the intensity and weakness of various behaviors. For example, economic wealth as a surficial component can have different effects on individuals with different mental beliefs. In individuals with deviant mental culture, the presence of economic wealth may be a factor in intensifying the commission of deviant acts. Meanwhile, in individuals from the same culture, a decrease in economic capacity may result in a reduction in the commission of deviant acts by them. At the same time, the presence of this component in a person with appropriate culture may intensify their benevolent actions.
From the analysis of the research and summarizing the stated content, it can be concluded that although the cause of social deviations is not unitary and definitive, and these deviations result from the combination and accumulation of various factors in an individual, it seems that cultural components have a significant impact on determining social behaviors. Surficial components that do not lead to a change in individuals' mental culture may not be effective in their behavioral domain.
Conclusion:
According to the research findings, social and external variables such as academic performance, ethnicity, and economic power had a significant and strong relationship with the cultural status of the samples. However, the physical condition of the samples, as a personal and individual variable, did not have a significant relationship with their cultural status.
 

Main Subjects

• Criminal Sociology