Modelling Social Learning of Adolescence-Limited Criminal Behaviour

Within Criminology, the analysis of the emergence of criminal behaviour is one of the main challenges [4]. An important mechanism behind this emergence is social learning [3]. To analyse this mechanism, this paper presents an agent-based approach to simulate social learning, which specifically addresses the mutual influence of peers, parents and school, with respect to delinquent behaviour. To formalise and analyse the emergence of criminal behaviour through social learning, an artificial society has been modelled to represent a small school class. The models for the agents have been formally specified by executable temporal/causal logical relationships, using the modelling language TTL [2] and its executable sublanguage LEADSTO [1]. This language allows the modeller to integrate both qualitative, logical aspects as quantitative, numerical aspects. Moreover, since the language has a formal logical semantics, simulation models created in TTL and LEADSTO can be formally analysed by means of logical analysis techniques.