Criminal subculture of juveniles: conceptual - substantive aspect

The article focuses on the problem of juvenile criminal subculture in its interconnection with the crime determination. The article conducts conceptual and substantive analysis of the concept under study. An attempt is made to characterize its signs and types, one of which is the criminal subculture of juveniles, which has a number of specific features. Among them are the following: an orientation toward adolescents, distorted morality, pseudo-values that oppose traditional morality, a special hierarchy and stratification, a system of rituals aimed at structuring and organizing the activities of a social group of juveniles, secrecy of communication of members, provided by special jargon and behavior patterns. It is concluded that the criminal subculture is a “breeding ground” for the development of crime in general and among young people in particular. It is proposed to actively develop the already formed theoretical basis on the issue of studying the criminal subculture of juveniles, to develop measures of educational work with adolescents, to improve methods and techniques of patriotic and spiritual and moral guidance, to diversify forms of organization of juvenile's cultural leisure time.