An integrative developmental and theoretical foundations of the Juvenile Delinquency Risk and Protective Factors Checklist-Version 2 (JDRPFC-2): A revisit

This short paper revisits the Juvenile Delinquency Risk and Protective Factors Checklist-Version 2.0 (JDRPFC-2), an enhanced iteration of the prototype first developed in 2012. It advances a theory-driven framework for identifying and organizing risk and protective factors associated with juvenile delinquency. Although the theoretical architecture of the checklist has not previously been formally articulated in the literature, its structure is firmly grounded in established criminological, developmental, and neuropsychological theories that account for variation in delinquent outcomes across individual, familial, peer, school, and community domains. Informed by ecosystemic and developmental perspectives, the JDRPFC-2 integrates principles from social development, social control, and social learning theories, highlighting the influence of social bonds, behavioral modeling, and reinforcement processes on youth behavior. The framework of JDRPFC-2 further incorporates strain and social disorganization theories to address the role of socio-structural stressors and neighborhood conditions, alongside neurodevelopmental models (e.g., the dual systems perspective) that explain heightened adolescent vulnerability to risk-taking. Finally, resilience and diathesis-stress frameworks guide the conceptualization of protective factors as active, buffering assets rather than merely the absence of risk or adversity. Collectively, these integrated theoretical foundations position the JDRPFC-2 as a comprehensive and developmentally sensitive tool for understanding juvenile delinquency, supporting systematic screening, and informing targeted intervention planning.