NCJ Number
197972
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 30 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2002 Pages: 575-587
Editor(s)
Kent B. Joscelyn
Date Published
November 2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study attempted to determine whether there was an individual and aggregate-level relationship between family structure, specifically single-parent families, and delinquency.
Abstract
Both individual and aggregate-level theories suggest that family structure is an important factor related to delinquency. There is evidence that living in a single-parent family increases an adolescent’s risk for delinquency as compared with living in a two-parent family. This study advanced the research in the link between single-parent families and delinquency by exploring the theoretically important relationships through the use of a multilevel design to separate the effects. The data used to examine the individual and contextual effects of single-parent families on delinquency was a sample from the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) evaluation. Data was used from 35 schools to determine the individual and school-level effects of single-parent families on delinquency. The results suggest independent effects for both living in a single-parent family and attending school where a higher proportion of adolescents live with only one parent. This shows that it matters how many single-parent families a student is exposed to, regardless of whether the student has one or two parents in the home. Future research is recommended. References