Peer networks of shared family disadvantage: Arenas of comfort or crime

Citation

De Coster, Stacy; Sanchagrin, Kenneth; & Heimer, Karen (2017). Peer networks of shared family disadvantage: Arenas of comfort or crime. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology. Philadelphia, PA.

Abstract

One of the primary takeaways from the sociological analysis of crime, delinquency, and victimization is the importance of structural context in predicting these outcomes. These structural influences, however, exist at varying levels and exert their influence in different ways depending on the level of analysis (e.g., macro, meso, mirco). This thematic panel brings together four studies examining structural influences in four different contexts, ranging from micro-level interactions in small groups to societal level influences. The first study, which explores micro-level effects, examines the influence of peers on adolescents with a specific focus on the proportion of peers within adolescents’ networks who are being raised by single mothers. The second paper examines meso-level neighborhood effects, with a specific focus on the manner in which disadvantaged circumstances can impact children’s violent and emotional behaviors. The third study expands to the macro-level and explores the differences between urban and rural contexts insofar as they provide different pathways to criminal offending. Finally, the fourth paper engages in a cross-national comparisons of countries in the African Global South to examine socio-economic resources as sources of both risk and resilience with regards to exposure to violence.

Reference Type

Conference proceeding

Book Title

Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology

Author(s)

De Coster, Stacy
Sanchagrin, Kenneth
Heimer, Karen

Year Published

2017

City of Publication

Philadelphia, PA

Reference ID

8146