The International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD) marks its beginning in 1992. ISRD project is one of the most world renown empirical studies which repeatedly collects data on juvenile delinquency and victimisation from comparable, although not identical, samples. Major objectives of ISRD Study are to observe and compare differences, similarities and trends in offending and victimisation between countries, with its primary focus on European countries, although the samples do include a number of non-European countries. The study aims to explore and test theoretical issues related to juvenile delinquency, while maintaining relevance for policy purposes.
ISRD uses a standardised self-report survey (although each country has a right to modify the questionnaire as long as the comparability of the results with rest of the countries is not infringed upon) conducted in school settings among students in grades 7, 8 and 9 (in other words, children age 12-16), randomly selected from schools in two medium or large cities. With that in mind, ISRD is primarily a city-bases survey, and it includes a minimum of two cities per country.
So far, there have been three waves of data collection in ISRD; the first in 13 countries (1992-1993), second in 31 countries (2005-2007), third in 34 countries (2012-2019) and the fourth currently being underway with around 50 countries planned to participate. Croatia had its debut in participation in the study during the third wave of IRSD, and will participate in the fourth as well.