The effect of family structure on juvenile delinquency and subsequent adult arrest

Citation

Warren-Gordon, Kiesha (2012). The effect of family structure on juvenile delinquency and subsequent adult arrest. 2012 Add Health Users Conference. Bethesda, MD.

Abstract

Undoubtedly, the rise of juvenile delinquency over the past several decades might have a direct link with a significant decline in the nuclear family (i.e., two-parent family) and a rise in other family structure types (e.g., single-parent or grandparent-head of household). In order to expand our understanding of the impact of the family structure on juvenile delinquency and/or criminal behaviors, the present study utilized Wave I and Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data set to analyze how the family structure that juveniles have resided in would impact their delinquent and/or criminal behaviors such as fighting with others, theft, or arrest as either a juvenile or adult. In regards to family structure in which the participating juveniles resided, this study’s results showed that 52.1 percent (n=3,389) of juveniles lived in a two-parent household, 36.1 percent (n=2,351) of juveniles lived in a single-parent household, and 11.7 percent (764) of juveniles lived in other family types without any parent in the household. Also, the results of logistic multiple regression analyses showed distinctively similar patterns of juvenile delinquency and police arrest as a juvenile or an adult, but some variations did exist. One of most important finding in this study was that race was not statistically correlated with either juvenile delinquency or police arrest as adults.

URL

https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/docs/events/2012%20Add%20Health%20Users%20Conference%20Abstracts.pdf

Reference Type

Conference proceeding

Book Title

2012 Add Health Users Conference

Author(s)

Warren-Gordon, Kiesha

Year Published

2012

City of Publication

Bethesda, MD

Reference ID

6392