Hispanic Adolescent Delinquency and the Family: A Discussion of Sociocultural Influences

• NCJ Number: 177494
• Journal: Adolescence Volume: 33 Issue: 132 Dated: Winter 1998 Pages: 941-955
• Author(s): Edward Pabon
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1R01MH40387; R01DA05630
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institute of Mental Health
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Analysis of data from a longitudinal study of 1,077 male Puerto Rican adolescents in the South Bronx area of New York City raised questions as to the precise impact of family experiences on subsequent delinquent involvement, especially with regard to sociocultural influences of family solidarity and familism.

Abstract

The study involved a two-wave probability sample of 1,170 eligible males in households in 130 South Bronx census tracts, 1,077 of whom agreed to participate in the study. Respondent loss in the second wave, 1 year after the first wave, was less than 17 percent, resulting in an overall response rate of 76 percent. Information about delinquent behavior was self-reported in confidential interviews, usually in respondent homes. Predictive measures were family involvement, family social isolation, normlessness, perceived sanctions in family, family solidarity and familism, parental availability, and parental supervision. Findings confirmed the significance of only one family bonding variable, family involvement, in subsequent delinquent behavior. Significance was found only for time spent during weekends and evenings with family members. The observed impact of spending more time with family members and noninvolvement in delinquent behavior suggested concern with reducing the opportunity for delinquency during weekends and evenings, prime times for delinquent behavior. Other family bonding variables, including sociocultural influences, did not have any significant impact on delinquency among the Puerto Rican adolescents. Likewise, the extent to which adolescents perceived themselves as close to the family, the extent to which they viewed their relationships as governed by conventional norms, the extent to which they perceived parental approval of disapproval of their behavior, and parental availability did not have an effect on involvement in delinquent behavior. 29 references and 2 tables