Comparative Perspectives on Youth Crime: Analyzing Media Discourses in Canada and Vietnam


Quan Nguyen, University of Calgary

Youth crime, a critical global issue, presents complex socioeconomic influences and significant societal impacts. This study embarks on a comparative analysis of youth crime, examining narratives from two major news platforms: the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC News) and Vietnams leading news outlet, Tuoi Tre News, covering the period from 2012 to 2018. We used discourse analysis to scrutinize 27 articles, 14 from CBC News and 13 from Tuoi Tre News, revealing nine central thematic discourses. These ranged from trends in criminal activity to prevention methods and socioeconomic influences on youth youth crime. Our findings indicate distinct perspectives between the two countries. CBC News predominantly focuses on rehabilitation and recognizes the impact of historical trauma and community-based initiatives. In contrast, Tuoi Tre News offers a more contentious viewpoint, emphasizing policy effectiveness debates and a propensity towards stricter legal deterrence. The divergent approaches reflect each countrys unique sociocultural contexts and developmental challenges, underscoring different historical experiences and societal structures. The study contributes to understanding the complexity of juveniles in an international context, underscoring the need for tailored strategies that address specific national and cultural requirements.

Non-presenting author: Hieu Ngo, University of Calgary

This paper will be presented at the following session: