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Violent Delinquency in America

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Violent Delinquency in America VIOLENT DELINQUENCY IN AMERICA THE DETERMINANTS OF CARRYING FIREARMS AMONG JUVENILES: A THEORETICAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS by DOUGLAS SCOTT LARSON WALLACE B.S., Missouri Southern State University, 1993 M.A., Kansas State University, 1997 AN ABSTRACT OF A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2009 Abstract This study examined three of the prominent theories of juvenile delinquency to determine principle juvenile firearm carrying behaviors. The theories investigated were Differential Association/Social Learning, Social Control, and Anomie/Strain. The data set used for this research was the “National Survey of Weapons-Related Experiences, Behaviors, and Concerns of High School Youth in the United States, 1996” from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan. This national-level survey of youth was conducted by Joseph F. Sheley and James D. Wright to assemble detailed behavioral and attitudinal data concerning weapons and violence, and was completed by 733 10th and 11th grade male high school students. Comparison logistic regression model analyses were utilized to examine the study’s hypotheses. Findings indicated that juvenile firearms carrying is most influenced by delinquent peers, delinquent friends, and gang membership within the theoretical framework of Differential Association/Social Learning. Social Control Theory has the least explanatory power, while the analysis of Anomie/Strain suggests that vicarious strains (those strains experienced by people close to the juvenile) have even more influence on juvenile firearms carrying than experienced strain. Theoretical integration is recommended for future research attempting to provide greater explanatory and predictive power for serious forms of delinquency like juvenile firearms carrying. VIOLENT DELINQUENCY IN AMERICA THE DETERMINANTS OF CARRYING FIREARMS AMONG JUVENILES: A THEORETICAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS by DOUGLAS SCOTT LARSON WALLACE B.S., Missouri Southern State University, 1993 M.A., Kansas State University, 1997 A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2009 Approved by: Major Professor Dr. W. Richard Goe Copyright DOUGLAS SCOTT LARSON WALLACE 2009 Abstract This study examined three of the prominent theories of juvenile delinquency to determine principle juvenile firearm carrying behaviors. The theories investigated were Differential Association/Social Learning, Social Control, and Anomie/Strain. The data set used for this research was the “National Survey of Weapons-Related Experiences, Behaviors, and Concerns of High School Youth in the United States, 1996” from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan. This national-level survey of youth was conducted by Joseph F. Sheley and James D. Wright to assemble detailed behavioral and attitudinal data concerning weapons and violence, and was completed by 733 10th and 11th grade male high school students. Comparison logistic regression model analyses were utilized to examine the study’s hypotheses. Findings indicated that juvenile firearms carrying is most influenced by delinquent peers, delinquent friends, and gang membership within the theoretical framework of Differential Association/Social Learning. Social Control theory has the least explanatory power, while the analysis of Anomie/Strain suggests that vicarious strains (those strains experienced by people close to the juvenile) have even more influence on juvenile firearms carrying than experienced strain. Theoretical integration is recommended for future research attempting to provide greater explanatory and predictive power for serious forms of delinquency like juvenile firearms carrying. Table of Contents List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ xi Dedication ........................................................................................................................ xiii CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 Foundation for the Current Research .............................................................................. 3 Case Study Analysis of School Violence Related to Juvenile Firearms ......................... 6 Rationale for Researching Juveniles Firearm Carrying ................................................ 17 The Organization of the Dissertation ............................................................................ 19 CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................... 21 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 21 Historical Roots and Main Contributors of Differential Association/Social Learning Theory ........................................................................................................................... 21 Contributions of Edwin Sutherland .......................................................................... 21 Contributions of Donald Cressey and David Luckenbill .......................................... 23 Critique of Differential Association Theory ............................................................. 25 The Development of Social Learning Theory .......................................................... 25 Demographic Variables Related to Social Learning Theory .................................... 26 Social Learning Theory and the Determinants of Juveniles Carrying Firearms ....... 27 Historical Roots and Main Contributors of Social Control Theory .............................. 28 Social Control Theory as an Alternative to Strain Theory ........................................... 29 Contributions of Albert J. Reiss, Jr. and F. Ivan Nye ............................................... 30 Contributions of Walter Reckless ............................................................................. 31 Contributions of Gresham Sykes and David Matza .................................................. 32 Contributions of Travis Hirschi ................................................................................ 33 Social Control Theory and the Determinants of Juvenile’s Carrying Firearms ........ 34 Historical Roots and Main Contributors of Anomie/Strain Theory ............................. 35 Robert Merton and Strain Theory ............................................................................. 41 vi Furthering the Ideas of Robert Merton ..................................................................... 44 Contributions of the Chicago School, Albert Cohen, Richard Cloward, and Lloyd Ohlin ......................................................................................................................... 45 Chicago School ..................................................................................................... 45 Albert K. Cohen .................................................................................................... 47 Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin ........................................................................ 48 Current Issues in the Resurgence of the Strain Perspective ...................................... 49 Non-Theory Specific Determinants of Carrying Firearms ........................................... 58 Variables Regarding the Prevalence of Juveniles’ Access to Firearms .................... 61 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES AND DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH METHODS ................................................................................................................................... 64 Present Study ................................................................................................................ 64 Theoretical Contrast and Comparison .......................................................................... 64 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 70 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 71 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 71 Data and Research Methods ......................................................................................... 73 Measurement of Dependent Variable ....................................................................... 74 Measurement of Independent Variables ................................................................... 74 Theoretical Variables ................................................................................................ 75 Differential Association/Social Learning Theory ................................................. 75 Social Control Theory ..........................................................................................
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