NCJ Number
126738
Journal
Criminology Volume: 28 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1990) Pages: 535-566
Date Published
1990
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This paper argues that the resources possessed by adolescents that give them power and autonomy can be used to increase the possibility of delinquency by reducing social control and providing illegitimate means to engage in delinquent actions.
Abstract
Whether these resources are used to further delinquency depends on several factors including the adolescent's predisposition toward delinquency, the benefits and costs of employing the resources, the perceived self-efficacy of the adolescent, and the nature of the resources involved. The power resources possessed by adolescents are categorized as coercive, reward, manipulative, legitimate, or referent; autonomy is classified as emotional, value, or functional. A comparison of the Youth in Transition survey and the National Youth Survey is used to test the hypothesis that adolescent resources will be positively related to delinquency in those most predisposed toward delinquent activity. Findings from the Youth in Transition survey indicate that the effect of resources on delinquency is conditioned by the nature of the resource. When the Social/Dating Behavior resource is high, Intelligence has a slight effect on delinquency, while Flexibility has a sizable effect and Weekly Pay has a small, but significant, positive effect. The survey did not find a relationship between Physical Maturity and delinquency. The National Youth Survey focused on the impact of Friends Support and Exposure to Delinquent Peers on delinquency and found that the support of friends can increase delinquency among predisposed adolescents. Further research should attempt to identify those resources most relevant to delinquency. 4 tables and 79 references