The Gendered Monitoring of Juvenile Delinquents: A Test of Power-Control Theory Using a Retrospective Cohort Study

• NCJ Number: 251900
• Journal: Youth & Society Volume: 49 Issue: 1 Dated: 2017 Pages: 72-95
• Author(s): Corina Schulze; Valerie Bryan
• Date Published: 2017
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 233051-421910-4200
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Through the framework of power-control theory (PCT), this study presents a model of juvenile offending that places the gendered-raced treatment of juveniles central to the analysis, and the theory is tested using a unique sample that is predominately African-American, poor, and composed entirely of juvenile offenders.

Abstract

Multivariate models compared the predictive power of many variables, including ones central to PCT, on status offenses and other, more serious, offenses. Gender and race variables were found to be significant, but varied in their impact across models. The interaction between these variables suggests that being Black and female increases the likelihood of sanctioning for status offenses, but not other types of offenses. Contrary to the theory, single-mother-headed households did not seem to produce more delinquent girls than other types of households. The overall findings of this study indicate that patriarchy and White privilege are continuing characteristics of the juvenile justice system. (Publisher abstract modified)