Social Control, Gender, and Delinquency: An Analysis of Drug, Property and Violent Offenders

• NCJ Number: 106684
• Journal: Justice Quarterly Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1987) Pages: 117-132
• Author(s): J L Rosenbaum
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 26 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study empirically examined social control theory as set forth by Travis Hirschi (1969) in data for 1,612 male and female adolescents in Seattle who responded to a questionnaire between 1977 and 1979.

Abstract

Variables examined were class; attachment to parents, peers, and school; commitment to and involvement in conventional activities; and belief in the law. Results indicate that social control theory explained drug use best, provided an extremely poor explanation for violent delinquency, and explained property offending only to some extent. The theory accounted for more of the variation in female than in male involvement in property and drug offenses and explained an equal and negligible amount of violent behavior for both sexes. The theory accounted for 22 percent of the variance in female drug use and 13 percent in male drug use. Possible explanations of the theory's ability to best explain drug use are discussed. 3 tables and 16 references.