NCJ Number
219764
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: 2007 Pages: 304-317
Date Published
2007
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the temporal relationship between victimization and violent behavior among minority youth in high-crime neighborhoods in order to determine whether victimization was a risk factor for violent behavior.
Abstract
Results did not support the hypothesis that victimization was a risk factor for the onset of violent behavior. However, victimization and violent behavior were strongly associated, suggesting that victimization rates in high-crime areas might be due to a general involvement in risky and violent activities. Youth who were involved in dangerous situations had higher rates of both victimization and violent behavior. The impact of parental attachment on victimization and violence interacted with race such that the Hispanic youth had progressively lower rates of violent behavior for progressively higher levels of parental attachment. On the other hand, the African-American youth who reported the highest levels of parental attachment also reported the highest levels of violent behavior. Future research should use a longitudinal research design in order to determine the direction of causality for the impact of parenting on youthful behavior. Data were drawn from the Los Angeles Violence Study, a cross-sectional study of inner-city male violence. Participants were 349 urban Hispanic and African-American youth living in high-crime neighborhoods who participated in interviews regarding their demographic characteristics, perceptions of parenting, victimization experiences, and engagement in violent behavior. Data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance and descriptive statistics. Tables, figures, references