NCJ Number
170942
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1997) Pages: 79-112
Date Published
1997
Length
34 pages
Annotation
Social control theory was used to model the self-reported delinquency in a sample of 788 Surinamese, Moroccan, Turkish, and Dutch boys all living in the Netherlands.
Abstract
One hypothesis tested is that social bonding variables predict variations in general delinquency involvement among Turkish, Surinamese, Moroccan, and Dutch male youth. A second hypothesis is that social bonding variables predict variations in a variety of types of delinquency involvement and deviance among these youth. Other hypotheses tested are that delinquent friends play the same role in the causes of general delinquency among the youth, and the dimensions of the social bond are interrelated in the same way among all four ethnic groups. The primary data- collection instrument was a standardized questionnaire that included questions on beliefs, family, school, leisure-time activities, and delinquency. The interviews were conducted in the summer of 1985. The multivariate analyses support the key propositions. The variables most consistently related to delinquency among the four samples are beliefs in conventional values, virtual (family) supervision, school conflict, and participation in unconventional leisure activities. 4 tables, 14 notes, 92 references, and appended questionnaire for self- reported delinquency