NCJ Number
66750
Date Published
1979
Length
300 pages
Annotation
BASED ON SOCIAL SYSTEMS THEORY, A UNIFIED APPROACH TO EXPLAIN DELINQUENCY WAS DEVELOPED AND TESTED EMPIRICALLY BY USING A QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY OF MALE STUDENTS FROM NINE CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOLS.
Abstract
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES INCLUDED PARENT-CHILD AND TEACHER-STUDENT SOCIALIZATION PROCESSES, FAMILY AND EDUCATIONAL OR OCCUPATIONAL SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS, CULTURAL VALUE COMMITMENTS, NORMATIVE EVALUATIONS, AFFECTIVE NEED AND DISPOSITIONS, SELF-IMAGES, AND THE PEER CONTEXT. DELINQUENCY WAS MEASURED USING BOTH SELF-REPORTS AND POLICE RECORDS. RELATIONSHIPS WERE RECORDED SEPARATELY FOR THE 980 WHITE STUDENTS AND THE 760 BLACK STUDENTS. DATA INDICATED THAT DELINQUENCY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH INADEQUATE FAMILY AND SCHOOL SOCIAL PROCESSES AND WITH NONCONVENTIONAL INTERNALIZATIONS. LOW LEVELS OF FAMILY CONTROL (PARENTAL SUPERVISION AND FATHER'S PRESENCE IN THE HOME) AND OF EDUCATIONAL OR OCCUPATIONAL CONTROL (ACADEMIC REWARDS, EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS, AND PERCEIVED STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO FUTURE EMPLOYMENT) WERE ALSO RELATED TO DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. DATA SUPPORTED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIALLY STRUCTURED STRAINS IN CAUSING DELINQUENCY. SOCIAL CONTROL FACTORS AND PERSONALITY FACTORS HAD INDEPENDENT EFFECTS ON DELINQUENCY. THE PEER CONTEXT ALSO HAD AN EFFECT. THE OBSERVED PATTERNS HELD FOR BOTH RACES AND FOR BOTH SELF-REPORTED AND OFFICIALLY RECORDED DELINQUENCY, ALTHOUGH THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF EXPLAINED VARIATION IN DELINQUENCY WAS NOT HIGH. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION OF DELINQUENCY COULD BE PROMOTED THROUGH EFFECTIVE PARENT TRAINING PROGRAMS, STRENGTHENING THE SCHOOL'S SECONDARY SOCIALIZATION FUNCTIONS, EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY-BASED RESOCIALIZATION PROGRAMS FOR DELINQUENTS, AND MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES. FIGURES, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, A REFERENCE LIST, AND AN APPENDIX EXPLAINING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE INDEXES USED ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--CFW)