NCJ Number
44317
Journal
Social Forces Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (DECEMBER 1977) Pages: 448-473
Date Published
1977
Length
26 pages
Annotation
EVIDENCE OF A QUANTITATIVE AND/OR QUALITATIVE DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS WITH REGARD TO DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS SOUGHT IN A STUDY OF THE EARLY LIFE HISTORIES OF A SAMPLE OF YOUNG BLACK MEN.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS, WHOSE NAMES WERE SELECTED FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECORDS, WERE INTERVIEWED IN THEIR EARLY THIRTIES. THE MEN ASKED ABOUT 13 DIFFERENT DEVIANT BEHAVIORS -WHETHER THEY HAD ENGAGED IN THE BEHAVIORS AND, IF SO, AT WHAT AGE. TOGETHER WITH RECORDS INDICATING THE ONSET OF SCHOOL PROBLEMS AND CONTACTS WITH THE POLICE, THE SUBJECTS' RESPONSES ARE USED TO EXAMINE THE PATTERNS AND SEQUENCING OF THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIORS: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS; LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE GRADUATION; JUVENILE OFFENSES; PRECOCIOUS USE OF ALCOHOL; PRECOCIOUS SEXUAL EXPERIENCE; USE OR MARIJUANA, AMPHETAMINES, OR OPIATES BEFORE AGE 18; LEAVING HOME BEFORE AGE 18; MARRIAGE BEFORE AGE 18; AND DEVELOPING ALCOHOL PROBLEMS BEFORE AGE 18. THE FINDINGS APPEAR CONSISTENT WITH BOTH A QUANTITATIVE DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS, I.E., ONE IN WHICH THE PROBABILITY OF COMMITTING A NEW TYPE OF DEVIANCE IS IN PART A FUNCTION OF THE VARIETY OF DEVIANT ACTS PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED, AND A QUALITATIVE PROCESS, I.E., ONE IN WHICH HAVING COMMITTED A PARTICULAR TYPE OF DEVIANT ACT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF INITIATING ANOTHER PARTICULAR TYPE OF DEVIANCE LATER ON. A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE DEVIANT BEHAVIORS STUDIED IS ACCOMPANIED BY SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED.