NCJ Number
147294
Journal
Criminology Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (1991) Pages: 265-292
Date Published
1991
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Because prior research on victimization in the United States has generally neglected victimization among juveniles and young adults and the link between offending and victimization, this research examined the effect of delinquent lifestyles on the criminal victimization of teenagers and young adults.
Abstract
Data from the National Youth Survey were used to determine whether delinquent lifestyles increased adolescent risk of victimization. Data suggested that adolescent involvement in delinquent lifestyles strongly increased the risk of both personal and property victimization. Further, data revealed that a significant proportion of the risk of victimization incurred by different demographic subgroups, especially males, resulted from greater involvement in lifestyles characterized by delinquency. In 15 of 16 models examined, the extent of respondent involvement in delinquent lifestyles had the largest direct effect on assault, robbery, larceny, and vandalism victimization. The effect of delinquent lifestyle on total victimization remained even when the reciprocal effect of victimization on delinquent lifestyle was controlled. Further, delinquent lifestyle activities had a considerable mediating effect on traditional sociodemographic risk factors. In particular, delinquent lifestyle mediated about one-third to one-half of the effects of sex on victimization. The authors conclude that victimization patterns among youth cannot be understood apart from criminal and deviance activities. General delinquency measures used in the analysis are identified in an appendix. 47 references and 6 tables