NCJ Number
171089
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1996) Pages: 147-164
Date Published
1996
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Data from waves one, two, and three of the national Youth Survey were used to test a proposed model that contended that components from both labeling theory and differential association theory should be incorporated into a general social learning perspective of crime and deviance.
Abstract
The research involved 1,725 youths ages 11-17. The youths were initially interviewed between January and March 1977 regarding their delinquent acts in 1976. The second and third waves were conducted in 1978 and 1979. The cumulative loss of participants over the three waves was 6 percent. Data were collected on a 24-item self-report index that asked participants how often during the last year they had engaged in various delinquent acts. Results suggested that labeling causes delinquency indirectly rather than directly, by means of associations with delinquent peer groups. The measure of delinquent peer associations was a strong predictor of self-reported delinquency. Therefore, the results of the model indicate that many previous conceptualizations of the effects of labeling on subsequent deviance may be incomplete. Findings provide a solid basis for moving to integrate labeling, strain, control, and social learning theories. Future research should determine whether support exists for the overall integrated model. Figure, tables, notes, appended list of the self-reported delinquency behaviors, and 38 references (Author abstract modified)