NCJ Number
178485
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 27 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 1999 Pages: 309-320
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study used a multidimensional measurement of family structure and related it to several categories of criminal behavior.
Abstract
A random sample of 639 participants was selected from a population of 1,220 offenders who participated in the Courts Regimented Intensive Probation Program from 1991 to 1994 in Humble, Tex. This research measured the impact of family structure and race on self-reported levels of youthful offending. The data were collected over a 4-year period. To determine the impact of family structure on criminal processing and self- reported criminal behavior, the study relied on two instruments: a 91-item survey given to participants before and after boot camp participation and the Justice Information Management System for analyzing offender involvement in crime. The study posited that family structure, when measured dichotomously ("intact" versus "broken" homes), misrepresents contemporary family arrangements, especially regarding racial and cultural differences. The study used a multidimensional measurement of family structure and related it to several categories of criminal behavior. Findings suggest that traditional measures of family structure related more to the criminal patterns of Caucasians than to African- Americans or Hispanics. As Staples (1994) noted, extended family networks may be more common in minority communities. The composition of the family, as it relates to the number of adult caregivers may, therefore, be a valid approach to understanding delinquent and criminal behavior. Research efforts should resist categorizing structure and composition and use all household individuals in an analysis of family. 7 tables and 33 references