Faculty Publications

Reassessing The Family-Delinquency Association: Do Family Type, Family Processes, And Economic Factors Make A Difference?

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Criminal Justice

Volume

35

Issue

1

First Page

51

Last Page

67

Abstract

The present study drew on four competing theoretical perspectives to examine the relationship between family structure and juvenile delinquency. Using data from the Add Health Study, the authors examined nonserious and serious delinquent behavior across youth from different types of households and also considered how the association between family structure and delinquency might be conditioned by family processes and economic factors. Results from negative binomial regression analyses indicated that, in general, type of household was not a significant predictor of nonserious or serious delinquency. Rather, maternal attachment emerged as the most important determinant of delinquent behavior among youth from all family types. The results are discussed within the context of Hirschi's original interpretation of social control theory and future directions for research are suggested. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Department

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

Original Publication Date

1-1-2007

DOI of published version

10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2006.11.015

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