NCJ Number
226771
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2009 Pages: 123-132
Date Published
April 2009
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether the link between nontraditional family structure and delinquency varied according to circumstances.
Abstract
Findings show that children from alternative family structures were more likely to engage in all four types of delinquent behavior studied; this conclusion was unaltered after controlling for demographic variables. The findings that family structure did not interact with gender, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and place of residence were supported by previous research. The literature in each of these areas was somewhat ambivalent and a fair number of researchers reported support for the “no effect” hypothesis. It appears that the family structure/delinquency relationship was largely invariant to these factors. The size of the sample in this study and the sensitivity of the statistical tests suggest that, from a practical perspective, practitioners can assume that boys, girls, rich, poor, youth from the city, and those from the country will respond largely the same way to growing up in nontraditional families (with increased delinquency). The finding that family structure did not interact with race was an unexpected finding. Much of the previous literature did reveal interactive effects in this area; it was hypothesized that this study should uncover some as well. An explanation for why this study’s findings diverged from the majority of the literature was not offered. Finally, findings pertaining to age suggest that older children living with single parents or stepparents were at elevated risk for developing substance use problems. Data were collected from 3,499 youths, aged 12 to 17, using the 1995 National Survey of Adolescents (NSA). Tables, notes, and references