Gendered parenting and juvenile delinquency: Experiences of incarcerated male youth in Lahore District Jail, Pakistan

Abstract

This paper examines how gendered parenting and gender typing shape juvenile delinquency among male adolescents in Pakistan. Using Sandra Bem’s Gender Schema Theory, the research explores how boys internalize rigid gender norms that link masculinity with emotional control, toughness and aggression. These norms develop through parenting practices shaped by patriarchal expectations. Fathers often use strict and authoritarian control, while mothers take passive caregiving roles. Boys learn early that showing emotions is unmanly. This results in emotional suppression, low self-esteem and reliance on aggression as a response to stress or conflict. The study used semi-structured interviews with ten male juvenile offenders in District Jail Lahore. Thematic analysis shows that emotional illiteracy, parental neglect in childhood and gendered parenting shapes the emotional and behavioural paths of these boys. These factors limit their coping mechanism and push them toward delinquent behaviour. The findings show the need for gender sensitive parenting, mental health education and supportive family environments. Policy efforts should promote parental awareness, legal literacy, and early emotional guidance to reduce delinquency and prevent recidivism. The study highlights that juvenile delinquency develops not only from individual actions but from broader gendered expectations within the family and society.