Hot or Cool Processing? Adolescent Decision-Making and Delinquency

Citation

Timmer, A.; Antonaccio, O.; & French, M. T. (2020). Hot or Cool Processing? Adolescent Decision-Making and Delinquency. Justice Quarterly.

Abstract

Adolescence is a vulnerable period of individual development when decision-making is easily compromised, and criminal involvement reaches its peak. We draw on and extend novel decision-making perspectives and use the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 13,399) to analyze whether factors representing adverse physical conditions, negative mental states, and stressful social circumstances condition the effect of thoughtfully reflective decision-making (TRDM) on adolescent delinquent behavior. We find that experiencing various “hot triggers” such as sleep problems, depression, and straining conditions significantly reduces the crime-preventive impact of TRDM (an example of cool processing) among adolescents. We outline potential avenues for further theoretical development of integrated frameworks of decision-making and crime and discuss policy implications aimed at ways to deal with the adverse social, emotional, and physical triggers and foster thoughtful decision-making skills among adolescents. © 2020, © 2020 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2020.1730424

Keyword(s)

adolescence

Notes

Export Date: 1 May 2020

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Justice Quarterly

Author(s)

Timmer, A.
Antonaccio, O.
French, M. T.

Year Published

2020

DOI

10.1080/07418825.2020.1730424

Reference ID

6515