NCJ Number
192854
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 48 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 46-69
Date Published
January 2002
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This exploratory study examined self-reported copycat crime among serious and violent juvenile offenders (SVJO’s) and the media’s role in the generation of copycat crime.
Abstract
The study’s goals were to measure the prevalence of self-reported copycat crime in SVJO’s and to examine the correlates of self-reported copycat criminal behaviors. The participants were all the male SVJO’s processed through the Orange County (FL) jail during an 8-month period in 1998. The final sample included 68 youths 15- to 17-years-old who were incarcerated as adults in the Orange County Corrections Department and who completed the surveys. Results revealed that about one fourth of the juveniles reported that they had attempted a copycat crime. The correlates of copycat behavior included a set of media and peer-related attitudes. However, academic and demographic characteristics did not relate significantly to copycat crime. Findings indicated that juveniles who regard the media and close friends as particularly influential on other juveniles are also those juveniles who themselves report copycat behaviors. The analysis concluded that successful identification of juveniles at risk for copycat crime is feasible; that the development and testing of predictive instruments and interventions should receive attention; and that further research should focus on specific media such as video games, as well as on offender-nonoffender comparisons. Tables, notes, and 48 references (Author abstract modified)