NCJ Number
143555
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1992) Pages: 585-607
Date Published
1992
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Longitudinal data for the years 1971-86 were used to test the hypothesis of a positive association between the "broken family" and crime.
Abstract
Two recent studies supported this hypothesis. One repeated an earlier finding that the relationship was stronger for black families than for white families. The current study used percent female headship, age composition, and median income as independent variables and national rates of arrest per 100,000 for persons under age 18 for all index offenses and for the eight separate index offenses of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, auto theft, and arson. Results revealed that despite tremendous increases in black families headed by females, only one of eight arrests showed an increase among black juveniles. Among white juveniles, increases in three out of eight index offenses accompanied the increase in female headship of families. More important, multiple regression analysis produced no significant relationship between female headship and any of the eight index offenses or total index offenses for black or white juveniles. The findings may be explained in part by changing attitudes toward birth outside marriage, divorce, and women's competence to raise children by themselves. In addition, the findings made irrelevant proposed explanations such as ineffective supervision by single parents and weakened attachment to single parents. Tables, figures, and 52 references (Author abstract modified)