Building Resilience: A Holistic Approach to Reducing Crime and the Impact of Protective Factors in Mitigating the Strain-Crime Relationship
Maryland Department of Juvenile Services; Melvis Behavioral Health & Forensic Consultancy LLC; Walden University
How they used Delve
A researcher at Walden University used Delve for the structured second coding pass of interviews with eight Cameroonian college students, applying semantic then pattern coding to build a thematic framework on how protective factors buffer the strain-crime relationship during the Anglophone crisis.
“Following this initial phase, a second, more structured round of coding was conducted using Delve qualitative coding software. Delve coding software was used to organize and refine themes identified during the initial manual coding phase. Transcripts were uploaded into the Delve platform, where semantic and pattern coding were applied to systematically categorize participant responses. The software allowed for efficient coding of text segments, comparison of themes across interviews, and the identification of recurring patterns.”
- Field
- Criminology and forensic psychology; General Strain Theory extended to protective factors, among young adults living through the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon
- Data
- Interviews with eight college students aged 21-28 from the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, conducted during the ongoing Anglophone crisis; an expansion of the author's 2023 doctoral research
- Approach
- Two-cycle coding run twice over. An initial manual pass colour-coded transcripts in Microsoft Word with handwritten memos and analytic notes; a second, more structured pass in Delve applied semantic coding (the explicit meaning of statements) and then pattern coding (broader categories and relationships among codes) to organise and refine the themes. Reflexivity was maintained through regular reflective journaling, with triangulation.
- Data types
- Interviews
Abstract
The relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and criminal behavior is well-established, with research consistently linking early trauma to increased delinquency and violent conduct. General Strain Theory (GST), developed by Robert Agnew, posits that life stressors—such as abuse, loss, and the failure to achieve valued goals—can result in negative emotions that may lead individuals to engage in criminal activity as a coping mechanism (Agnew, 1992). This qualitative study, an expansion of the author’s previous doctoral research (Asongwed, 2023), explored the intersection of strain, adversity, and criminal behavior among eight college students (ages 21 - 28) from the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. Conducted during the ongoing Anglophone crisis, the study was grounded in GST and aimed to investigate the influence of protective factors in mitigating the risk of crime among youth in conflict-affected settings. Participants reported experiencing various strains, including poverty, displacement, violent victimization, and limited access to education. Despite these challenges, findings revealed that protective factors such as personal resilience, family and community support, access to education, employment opportunities, and religious beliefs significantly buffered the impact of strain. This research challenges the traditional emphasis on risk factors by expanding the GST framework to incorporate the role of protective factors in crime prevention. It offers a holistic approach that addresses both individual and structural dimensions of criminal behavior. Policy implications and recommendations for local application are discussed, emphasizing the integration of mental health services, youth employment initiatives, public sensitization campaigns, and community-based support systems in crime prevention and juvenile justice efforts.
Citation
Melvis N. Asongwed (2025). Building Resilience: A Holistic Approach to Reducing Crime and the Impact of Protective Factors in Mitigating the Strain-Crime Relationship. Psychology. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2025.165034