Modeling delinquent behavior: Social disorganization, perceived blocked opportunity, and social control

Abstract

The linkages among several popular theories in the delinquency literature-social disorganization, strain, and social control theory-as well as their effects on delinquent behavior are investigated in this study. Social disorganization has been primarily studied with aggregate-level data in prior work, and we note certain theoretical and empirical issues associated with this approach. In this study of public high school students in Mississippi (n = 8,338), social disorganization is measured by observed indicators of juveniles' perceptions of neighborhood deterioration. Social strain is operationalized through perceptions of blocked opportunity, whereas social control is measured through the respondents' reported level of attachment, commitment, and involvement in school. Structural equation models with latent variables are estimated separately by race and residence in order to more fully compare the linkages among these

Assessing Cross-Cultural Validity of Fear of Crime Measures through Comparisons between Linguistic Communities in Belgium

“…We would encourage scholars to carry out more comprehensive research, encompassing independent measures at the individual and neighbourhood levels and using multilevel analysis methods (see Sampson et al, 2002, for a helpful overview of research on neighbourhood influences). On the other hand, the present more limited findings are of interest, since neighbourhood effects can be of value only when they are perceived (Vowell and Howell, 1999).…”

“…It is likely, for example, that the (objective) social structure of one's neighbourhood has an influence on how one perceives neighbourhood problems such as threat or physical incivilities, even how one tends to evaluate the absence of the police in the neighbourhood. However, it could be asked what impact an objective reality can have without the perception of it; for this reason, we consider that analysis of perceptions is a useful alternative to a state of the art contextual analysis where objective characteristics of the neighbourhood are measured at a separate level and entered in a multilevel design (Vowell and Howell, 1999). At the same time, we would like to stress the unique surplus value that a multilevel structure can offer, and would plead for a broader application of these designs as well (Hajnal et al, 2000); moreover, LISREL now offers the possibility of integrating multilevel information within structural equation models.…”

Adolescent Work and Alcohol Use: Moderation by Neighborhood Context and the Role of Peers

“…Considering social control, it could be that work appears to be especially detrimental to those from advantaged backgrounds (Bachman et al 2013;Bauermeister et al 2007;Breslin and Adlaf 2005;Johnson 2004;Rocheleau and Swisher 2012) because it does more damage to the social bonds in work and school domains of advantaged youth relative to disadvantaged youth. With stronger social bonds to family, school, and community (Lareau 2003;Sampson et al 1999;Sampson et al 1997;Vowell and Howell 1998) those from more advantaged backgrounds simply have more to lose by working a lot of hours in adolescence.…”

A Preliminary Examination of Racial Differences in Trauma and Sexual Aggression Among Adolescent Sexual Abusers

“…Race is frequently used as a proxy for economic disadvantage due to poverty and/or the negative social consequences associated with discrimination. Such poverty and discrimination may result in increased negative behavior, a greater number of criminal peers, less attachment to appropriate social institutions, and decreased educational, vocational, and social opportunities (Vowell & Howell, 1998;Varano & Cancino, 2001). Despite such findings, research on adolescent sexual aggression has, until now, ignored race or related social variables despite the predictive power of these variables in related domains.…”