Jessie Slepicka

First Advisor

Iannacchione, Brian M.

Date Created

5-2019

Abstract

Previous examinations of Agnew’s (2005) general theory of crime and delinquency have garnered mixed results for the theoretical construct. These previous investigations have concentrated on a singular stage of an individual’s life—with analyses focusing on either the adolescent (Muftić, Grubb, Bouffard, & Maljević, 2014; Ngo & Paternoster, 2014; Roh & Marshall, 2018; Zhang, Day, & Cao, 2012) or the adult (Cochran, 2017; Ngo, Paternoster, Cullen, & Mackenzie, 2011) time juncture—failing to empirically assess the variability hypothesis centrally proposed by Agnew. Using data from a nationally representative sample of participants—the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health [n = 20,745 (Wave I), 14,738 (Wave II), 15,917 (Wave III), and 15,701 (Wave IV)]—Agnew’s general theory was applied to multiple junctures of an individual’s life (adolescence and adulthood), which provided one of the first age-graded assessments of the theoretical construct. Poisson and negative binomial regression models were constructed and analyzed, with each generated model representing a significant improvement in fit over the null/intercept-only model. Moreover, Agnew’s variability hypothesis obtained considerable empirical support, ultimately highlighting the various life domains (self and peer for adolescence; self and family for adulthood) most influential at differing time junctures. These multitude of findings led to the championing of crime prevention/behavior modification programs that specifically target the correlates of crime and delinquency that this analysis found to be most significant in predicting engagement in crime/delinquency. A few model programs argued for within are the Gang Resistance and Education Training program, the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, and Multisystemic Therapy.

Extent

196 pages

Local Identifiers

SlepickaThesis19.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Download

Share

COinS