CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT AS PATHWAY TO DELINQUENCY.

OBJECTIVE To explore The predictive relationship of childhood maltreatment towards the involvement in delinquent behaviors in their later life and to figure out the most significant form of childhood abuse that predict the delinquency. STUDY DESIGN Correlational Research Design PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Study was completed from Feb-2017 to Feb-2018. Data was collected from the four prisons of District Punjab (Lahore, Sialkot, Gujrat, Rawalpindi) Including District Jail Lahore, District Jail Sialkot, District Jail Gujarat, and from the Central Jail Rawalpindi. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Total sample of 517 was gathered from prisoners with age range of 18 to 60 years old. Data was collected through the purposive sampling technique. Child maltreatment was measured through child abuse self-report scale including the four sub domains of physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect while delinquency was investigated through the self-reported delinquency scale. RESULTS Simple Linear Regression and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis were used to measure the predictive effect of childhood maltreatment towards the involvement with delinquency. Results revealed the positive predictive relatlonship of childhood maItreatment with delinquency. CONCLUSION Findings revealed the childhood maltreatment as a significant predictor towards the involvement in delinquent behaviors. Further, it was explored that the prisoners who experienced the sexual abuse and neglect were more involved in delinquent behaviors in their later life as compare with physical and psychological abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]