INTRAFAMILY CONFLICT AND DELINQUENCY

• NCJ Number: 67101
• Journal: Pacific Sociological Review Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1979) Pages: 223-240
• Author(s): S NORLAND; N SHOVER; W E THORNTON; I JAMES
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH27435
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS STUDY WAS PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS, SAN FRANCISCO, 1978

Annotation

USING SELF-REPORT DATA, THE STUDY EXAMINED EFFECTS OF FAMILY CONFLICT ON FEMALE DELINQUENTS COMPARED TO MALES, AND VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE THE DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOME CONFLICT AND DELINQUENCY.

Abstract

MANY SOCIOLOGISTS CONTEND THAT FAMILY CONFLICT HAS A GREATER IMPACT ON FEMALE DELINQUENTS THAN MALES BECAUSE GIRLS ARE MORE INVOLVED IN HOME LIFE AND DEPENDENT ON IT FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. THE DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY CONFLICT AND DELINQUENCY HAS BEEN DEBATED BY THEORISTS WHO MAINTAIN THAT ADDITIONAL VARIABLES, SUCH AS PARENTAL SUPERVISION, PRODUCE DELINQUENCY. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY APPROXIMATELY 1,000 STUDENTS IN GRADES 8 THROUGH 12 FROM 10 SCHOOLS IN A LARGE SOUTHEASTERN CITY. FEMALE RESPONDENTS COMPOSED 54 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE, WITH ABOUT ONE-THIRD NONWHITE. VARIOUS SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS WERE REPRESENTED. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED DELINQUENT ACTS COMMITTED DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR, CATEGORIZED INTO STATUS OFFENSES, PROPERTY OFFENSES, AND AGGRESSIVE DELINQUENCY. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS MEASURED FAMILY CONFLICT, PARENTAL SUPERVISION, IDENTIFICATION WITH PARENTS, PERSPECTIVES TOWARD RULES AND LAW, AND PEER SUPPORT FOR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. THE DATA WERE STUDIED WITH PATH ANALYTIC TECHNIQUES TO DIVIDE FAMILY CONFLICT INTO DIRECT AND INDIRECT COMPONENTS. THE TOTAL EFFECTS OF FAMILY CONFLICT FOR ALL OFFENSES WERE GREATER FOR FEMALES THAN MALES. HOWEVER, DIRECT EFFECTS OF FAMILY CONFLICT ON PROPERTY AND AGGRESSIVE OFFENSES WERE GREATER FOR MALES. ALTHOUGH THE RESEARCH PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR SOME TRADITIONAL IDEAS ABOUT MALE AND FEMALE DELINQUENCY, THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY RELATIONS ON MALE DELINQUENTS HAS BEEN UNDERESTIMATED. THE STUDY ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT BELIEFS IN LAW AND PEER RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS IN FEMALE DELINQUENCY, CHALLENGING THE THEORIES THAT FAMILY PROBLEMS ARE THE PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF FEMALE DELINQUENCY. TABLES, FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJM)