ABSTRACT A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY EXPERIENCE Öner Solak Department of Sociology Anadolu University, Graduate School of Social Sciences, February 2021 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Fatime GÜNEŞ This thesis aims to understand juveniles’ experiences of delinquency. This study is shaped in phenomenological research approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty young people aged 18-25, who were tried as a child for one or more criminal behaviors before the age of eighteen, remained in prison, and were under probation. Clusters and themes related to juveniles’ delinquency processes, prison experiences, and post-prison life and expectations were obtained through the narratives in indepth interviews. According to the experiences of juvenile delinquents, conflicts occur within the family at the age of 12-15 and the children move away from the family. Participants focus on family conflicts and circle of friends when they tell about the procces of delinquency. Juveniles’ prison experiences differ according to the type of crime. Participants state that they re-established close ties with the the family during the postprison period. Keywords: Delinquency, Juvenile Phenomenological approach. iv delinquency, Juvenile delinquent,