Youth in conflict with the law in Cost

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15517/g54yj522

Keywords:

juvenile delinquency, administration of justice, rights of the child, statistical data, right to justice

Abstract

The article aims to analyze juvenile delinquency in Costa Rica in order to generate evidence that can inform the development of future preventive policies. To this end,
a quantitative methodology was used based on the analysis of 38 163 judicial files entered and 30 491 concluded between 2019 and 2024. The research was conducted in Costa Rica using data from the Judicial Branch at the judicial circuit level. The cases were described, and the volume of the cases was correlated with three social indicators. The findings reveal a negative correlation between social development and juvenile prosecution: the higher levels of development are associated with lower incidence. Additionally, most cases involved minor offenses and were resolved with alternative measures, highlighting the educational approach of the juvenile penal system.

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Author Biographies

  • Luis Diego Conejo B., Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. Doctor in Human Development and Family Sciences. Master in Psychological Research. Psychologist. He works as a professor and associate researcher at the National University of Costa Rica, at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies of Childhood and Adolescence (INEINA). Among his upcoming publications are the co-authorship of the chapters entitled Child care in the family context: Parenting practices in a group of Costa Rican families and Supporting families in parenting, discipline management and child development: The importance of an integration between extension and research from the National University. His academic interest focuses on child and adolescent human development and educational, family/social influences.
    community and environmental.

  • María Fernanda Alvarado Leitón, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca. San José, Costa Rica.

    Costa Rican. PhD in Survey Methodology and Data Science. Master's in Statistics from the University of Costa Rica. Statistician. Currently works as a professor and researcher at the School of Statistics at the University of Costa Rica. She coordinates national surveys such as the Consumer Survey and the Current Affairs Survey. Her publications include co-authorship of Controlling acquiescent response style through negated versus polar opposite items: Design considerations for balancing measurement scales* (in press) and *Racism and discriminatory manifestations toward indigenous peoples and other ethno-cultural populations in Costa Rica (2024). Her area of ​​interest includes the development of techniques to improve data collection.

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Published

2026-08-26 — Updated on 2026-08-27

Versions

Issue

No. 192 (2026): Territorial and Cultural Communities: Threats to Their Identity Due to Urban Expansion and Technological Advancement

Section

Central Theme

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How to Cite

Youth in conflict with the law in Cost. (2026). Revista De Ciencias Sociales, 192, 49-66. https://doi.org/10.15517/g54yj522 (Original work published 2026)