The Home Environment and Delinquency: A Study of African American Adolescents

Abstract

This study sought to determine the relationship between an adolescent's home environment and his/her involvement in conduct disorder. The study was based on a sample of 556 African American adolescents (85% males) aged thirteen to seventeen and enrolled in violence prevention programs at historically black colleges and Universities (HBCUs) located in eight states and the District of Columbia. The HBCUs in this study have student bodies that are predominantly African American. Data were collected using a condensed version of the Children's Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (C-SAGA). The results showed that a higher proportion of females than males started physical fights, used weapons to harm, and ran away from home. Proportionately, more males deliberately set fires and destroyed property. The extended family, parents' time spent with the child, home discipline, and family rules were significantly related (p < .001) to incidents of conduct disorder. Implications for social service are suggested.

Family Interventions with Incarcerated Youth: A Review of the Literature

“…Gorman-Smith, Tolan, Zelli, and Huesmann (1996) found that both family characteristics and parenting practices contribute to risk for serious delinquent behavior. These risk factors for children may be amplified by the rise in divorce rates (Gordon, Jurkovic, & Arbuthnot, 1998), economic hardship, and poverty (Kumpfer, 1999;Thornberry et al, 1999), especially for families of color (McLoyd, 1990;Rodney, Tachia, & Rodney, 1999).…”

Vulnerable Children

“…Studies that examined delinquent behavior among Black adolescents ( Pittman & Chase-Lansdale, 2001 ;Rodney, Tachia, & Rodney, 1999 ) have focused mostly on crime and criminal behavior among this population. These studies suggest that the cause of high involvement of Black youth in the justice system is due to their overinvolvement in criminal activity and delinquent behavior, rather than to parental-or family-level factors, adolescent's perceptions of their attachment relationship with their parent or primary caretaker, or future orientation.…”

School Violence and Primary Prevention

“…These factors are associated with the individual, community, family, peers, and school (Stinson, 2002;Rodney et al, 1999a;Hawkins, 1995;Howell, 1995;. Although all categories are important for understanding the context of a given act of youth violence, only those that are associated with schools are discussed in this chapter.…”