This article presents the findings of a qualitative study using grounded theory to investigate how 14 Asian youth cope with the criminal justice system in Canada. Coping with a spoiled self is the main theme discovered in this study. The discovery of this main theme has the following implications for social work practice: (a) asian youth at different stage of crime involvement requires different focus of intervention; (b) family connection is considered very important regardless the degree of crime involvement of these youth; (c) gang exit strategy should be included in intervention plan; and (d) ethnicity of helping professionals is not a major concern for Asian youth in seeking help.

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