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Abstract
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AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT:
It is becoming an accepted premise in the criminal justice literature that there is a connection between child maltreatment and delinquency. However, this connection is not well defined nor has it been thoroughly examined. To date, the majority of previous research has relied on retrospective studies comparing maltreated children with nonmaltreated children. However, little research has sought to ascertain what factors increase the likelihood a maltreated youth will participate in later delinquent or criminal activity. This study fills a void in the literature by addressing this issue. Using data from the Hamilton County Ohio Juvenile Court, 479 maltreated youths ages six through nine during 1990-1992 were selected for the study. Police and court records of maltreated youth were checked to see if they had committed any official acts of delinquency. A multivariate ordinary least squares analysis was ran looking at both individual and family level factors. The findings revealed that approximately 47 percent of all of the maltreated youth had participated in some form of delinquent activity. The results indicate the following characteristics are the strongest predictors of delinquent activity: total number of out of home placements, type of placement, age of first reported maltreatment, mental health issues and the sex and race of the child, and mothers parenting skills issues. The results farther suggest that type of maltreatment does not impact the delinquent activity of youth. Overall, this study fills a void in the literature by assessing the individual and family level factors of maltreated youth that increase the likelihood they will participate in future delinquent activity. Future research in this area should include both self-report and official measures of maltreatment and delinquency to ascertain the extent of the relationship between delinquency and maltreatment. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, 2001. Copyright © 1999, 2001 by Shannon M. Barton; University Microfilms International)
Juvenile Delinquency
Delinquency Causes
Child Abuse-Delinquency Link
Child Abuse Effects
Child Abuse Victim
Child Physical Abuse Effects
Child Physical Abuse Victim
Domestic Violence Effects
Domestic Violence Victim
Juvenile Offender
Ohio
1990s
09-01 |