NCJ Number
217362
Journal
European Journal of Criminology Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 87-108
Date Published
January 2007
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This Dutch study examined the extent to which city characteristics could contribute to youth delinquency beyond the influence of neighborhood and individual characteristics.
Abstract
The study found significant differences in delinquency rates among 11 Dutch cities, as well as variations in delinquency among neighborhoods and individuals within the same cities. Controlling for composition effects did not change the observed variance at the city level. The findings suggest that city characteristics explain youth delinquency better than neighborhood context, at least in the Netherlands. The results also indicated that ignoring delinquency at the city level led to an overestimation of delinquency causes at the neighborhood level. Including factors at the city level as well as the neighborhood level makes it possible to test the influence of various delinquency determinants derived from social disorganization or social stratification theory at the city and neighborhood levels simultaneously. It will then be possible to determine whether these variables at the city and neighborhood levels have separate effects on delinquency over and above individual-level explanations. Future research should attempt to determine the relative strength of city-level, neighborhood-level, and individual-level factors in contributing to delinquency. Data were obtained from 11 Dutch cities. From 1998 onward, these cities conducted at least one youth survey that described the circumstances and lifestyles of adolescents. The surveys were standardized across cities in order to allow for comparisons. The surveys solicited information from youth on their delinquent acts. Six delinquent acts were included in the surveys in all 11 cities. 4 tables and 48 references