An inquiry into the disaster experience on inmates of juvenile classification home: Disaster experiences and delinquency of inmates in juvenile classification home who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract

Few studies explored the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) on inmates of juvenile classification home (JCH) and their delinquency. In this study, we surveyed how the inmates in JCH perceived their GEJE experience by questionnaire, and analyzed which factors affected their delinquency after GEJE by using survival analysis.

As a result, it was observed that while inmates in the JCH recognized the disaster experience as a frightening and painful experience, they also were motivated to help society recover from the disaster. Another findings showed that those who were socially maladjusted before the earthquake, those who experienced the death and/or separation of family, and those who lost their places at school or work had a shorter time to delinquency after the GEJE. These findings suggest that in order to prevent post-disaster delinquency, it is important to provide support to encourage adaptation to school and workplace, as well as to obtain a place where they belong.