Car and Kids - A Self-Report Study of Juvenile Auto Theft and Traffic Violations

• NCJ Number: 80019
• Journal: Sociology and Social Research Volume: 66 Issue: 1 Dated: (October 1981) Pages: 29-41
• Author(s): P C Higgins; G L Albrecht
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 71-EF-658; 72-DF-658
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The favored group and the disadvantaged group perspectives have been proposed as descriptions of and tentative explanations for the presumed patterns of auto theft and to a lesser degree of traffic offenses. Using self-report data from Atlanta, this study found that neither approach was well supported.

Abstract

Although automobiles play an important part in adolescent life, juvenile misuse of cars has been understudied by sociologists. Contrary to previous research, auto theft is not a 'pure' delinquency specialty. Auto thieves and traffic offenders were likely to be involved in other delinquent activities as well. Further, gang members were more likely to be auto misusers than youth who did not belong to a gang. While auto misuse is not a unique pattern of delinquency, on both empirical and theoretical levels, an explanation of the situated dynamics of auto misuse and not merely the correlates of auto misusers seems to be warranted. (Author abstract)