NCJ Number
106053
Journal
Journal of Quantitative Criminology Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1987) Pages: 65-81
Date Published
1987
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Data from the first wave of the Youth in Transition study were used to examine issues in the measurement and causal analysis of the social bond as a factor in juvenile delinquency.
Abstract
The Youth in Transition study (Bachman, 1975) is a five-wave longitudinal study including both interview and self-administered questionnaire data from a stratified, nationally representative sample of 2,213 black and white male youths in fall 1966. Seven measures of attachment to parents, peers, teachers, and school were selected. Commitment measures covered college plans, occupational goals, and dating levels. Measures of belief were belief in the importance of academic achievement, honesty, and social responsibility. Measures of interest and involvement in school work were also used. The LISREL VI iterative maximum-likelihood algorithm was used to estimate measurement and structural parameters simultaneously. An examination of the independent effects of the factors on a measure of overall delinquency shows the importance of parental attachment, general school attachment, conventional beliefs, and involvement in youth subculture activities. An unexpected finding was the higher delinquency for those with higher mobility aspirations (controlling all other factors). 4 tables, 2 figures, and 36 references.