NCJ Number
237446
Journal
International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: January-June 2010 Pages: 220-238
Date Published
June 2010
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the construction of both traditional and bond measures of self-control and their impact on deviance in a sample of students in a Chinese university.
Abstract
Extensive research has indicated that self-control theory is a significant explanation of crime but a number of debates about the theory remain. Primary among those is the argument that the key variable of self-control has not been measured properly. Moreover, Hirschi (2004) stated that not only are the prior cognitive and behavioral measures of self-control mistaken but self-control is in reality, a social bond concept. Additionally, others have also pointed out that cross-national testing of the theory is lacking. Taken together, these two concerns are critical to the central claim of the theory: that it can explain all crime in all locations. To address these matters, this study examines the construction of both traditional and bond measures of self-control and their impact on deviance in a sample of students in a Chinese university. Results indicate support for prior research in that both conceptualizations of self-control can be considered single constructs, even though multiple components were extracted for each. However, the traditional measure of self-control failed to attain significance in either of the models where it or its individual components were included. Conversely, the bond measurement was a strong correlation of deviance. Although, of the three components that made up this construct, school attachment was the only one that attained significance. The implications of these results are also discussed. (Published Abstract)