Angela R. Gover

The Relationship Between Violence in the Family of Origin and Dating Violence Among College Students

Prior research has established that violence in dating relationships is a serious social problem among adolescents and young adults. Exposure to violence during childhood has been linked to dating violence victimization and perpetration. Also known as the intergenerational transmission of violence, the link between violence during childhood and dating violence has traditionally focused on physical violence. This research examines the relationship between experiencing and perpetrating dating violence and exposure to violence in the family of origin. Specifically, the current research examines gender differences in the relationship between exposure to violence during childhood and physical and psychological abuse perpetration and victimization. Data were collected from a sample of approximately 2,500 college students at two southeastern universities. Findings indicate that childhood exposure to violence is a consistent predictor of involvement in relationships characterized by violence for males and females. The implications of the current research on policy are discussed.

The Influence of Delinquent Peers on Delinquency: Does Gender Matter?.

Research indicates that gender is one of the strongest correlates of juvenile delinquency. Additionally, a growing body of literature suggests that the association with delinquent peers is an important predictor of delinquent behavior. Although a few studies have examined how delinquent peers condition the gender-delinquency relationship, the authors extend this body of literature by using longitudinal data from a sample of adolescents to explore the extent to which internal and external constraints condition the relationship between gender, delinquent peers, and delinquent behavior. Findings indicate that delinquent peer association is an important predictor of delinquency generally, but the effect varies across gender. Specifically, delinquent peer associations are a better predictor of delinquency among boys compared to girls. In addition, the effect of delinquent peers on delinquency varies according to the level of internal and external constraints. Future research directions for unraveling the role of gender in youthful offending are discussed.

A Longitudinal Assessment of the Victim-Offender Overlap:

Although research has established an offending/victimization overlap and that offenders and victims share similar characteristics, much less work has examined the longitudinal sequencing of victimization and offending in the same developmental period and whether key risk/protective factors significantly distinguish both offenders and victims.This study uses longitudinal data from a large sample of adolescents to examine these issues and does so using a novel methodological approach, the trajectory methodology, which allows for the examination of covariation between offending and victimization. Results indicate that there is a considerable degree of overlap between victims of physical violence and offenders over time and that certain covariates including school commitment, parental monitoring, low self-control, and sex significantly discriminate victim and offender groups. Furthermore, low self-control appears to be the most salient risk factor for distinguishing both victimization and delinquency trajectories.Theoretical and policy implications and directions for future research are identified.

Specifying General Strain Theory: An Ethnically Relevant Approach

The current study incorporated principles from the acculturation literature to specify an ethnically relevant general strain theory (GST). This study argues that the acculturation process exposes Hispanics to unique types of strain (e.g., prejudice and discrimination) that may increase the likelihood of delinquency. Further varying levels of Hispanic concentration can moderate the effect of acculturative strain on delinquency, whereby the effect of ethnic-specific strains may be more pronounced where ethnic concentration is low. Responses from self-administered questionnaires of 1,729 Hispanic adolescents were analyzed to test various hypotheses regarding the effects of traditional and acculturation-related strains on violent delinquency. The findings indicated that GST is generalizable to Hispanic adolescents. The analyses also found support for the prediction that, conditional on the level of Hispanic concentration, ethnic-specific strain measures increased the likelihood of violent delinquency among Hispanic adolescents. This study provided a foundation for future empirical analyses of criminological theories among Hispanic populations.

Gender Differences in Factors Contributing to Institutional Misconduct

Importation and deprivation theories are typically offered to explain the process by which inmates adjust to prison environments. Nearly all prior empirical tests of these theories have exclusively relied on samples of male inmates. Using self-report and official data from 247 male and female inmates confined to correctional institutions in a southeastern state, this study makes an important contribution to the correctional literature by examining whether theoretical predictors of infraction behavior are similar for males and females. Consistent with prior research, findings from zero-inflated Poisson regression models indicate that measures of both importation and deprivation theories significantly influence misconduct behavior. Findings, however, indicate that predictors of institutional misconduct are different for males and females. These findings support the development of gender-specific correctional programming that considers distinct needs of men versus women, with specific emphasis on programs that respond to the unique circumstances of female offenders.

Are Institutions of Higher Learning Safe? A Descriptive Study of Campus Safety Issues and Self‐Reported Campus Victimization among Male and Female College Students

This descriptive study provides an empirical examination of issues related to campus safety including college students’ perceptions of fear and perceived risk of crime as reported by a convenience sample of 564 undergraduate students at a large southeastern university. Students also reported their use of constrained behavior in an attempt to reduce their likelihood of victimization. Prevalence estimates of personal, property, and sexual assault victimizations are reported. Results indicated that there were significant gender differences in perceptions of fear, safety, perceived risk, and involvement in constrained behavior. Significant gender differences were also found in self‐reported sexual assault and property crime victimization. Directions for risk reduction and prevention strategies for campus victimization are discussed along with concluding remarks about the importance of these campus‐related issues to educators and to the campus community as a whole.

A Specialized Domestic Violence Court in South Carolina An Example of Procedural Justice for Victims and Defendants

The current research details interviews with 50 victims and 50 defendants who participated in a specialized criminal domestic violence court in Lexington County, South Carolina. These victims and defendants indicated satisfaction with their court experiences, thought the process allowed them to voice their views, felt they were treated with respect, and were generally satisfied with the outcome of their cases. Court observations and interviews with court personnel confirmed that this court has successfully incorporated victims and defendants into the decision-making process while also providing a fair system to address the issue of violence against women.

Using Propensity Score Matching to Understand the Relationship between Gang Membership and Violent Victimization: A Research Note

Due to methodological limitations, such as unmatched gang samples and a lack of longitudinal investigations, it remains unresolved whether joining a gang leads to future violent victimization or both share a set of common causes. Guided by selection, facilitation, and enhancement perspectives, the current study applied Propensity Score Matching on data from the Gang Resistance Education and Training longitudinal study to investigate the nature of the gang‐violent victimization relationship. Results indicated antecedent differences between those who did and did not join gangs, particularly violent victimization and delinquency. When gang and non‐gang members with similar propensities for joining were matched, the relationship between gang membership and violent victimization dissipated. Findings suggest policy attention to early delinquency and victimization risk factors generally.

Fear of violent crime among men and women on campus: the impact of perceived risk and fear of sexual assault.

Prior research has consistently shown that women are more afraid of crime than men despite the fact that men are much more likely to be victims of all crime except sexual assault and intimate partner violence. The “shadow of sexual assault” hypothesis argues that women’s fear of sexual assault shadows their fear of other types of crime, particularly violent crime. Building on prior research by Ferraro (1996) and Fisher and Sloan (2003), this study examines the individual and combined impact of perceived risk and fear of sexual assault on fear of robbery and assault among college students. Findings indicate that fear of sexual assault is the stronger predictor of fear of crime for women and that perceived risk is the stronger predictor for men.

Childhood Sexual Abuse, Gender, and Depression Among Incarcerated Youth

This study examined whether sexual abuse was related to higher levels of psychological distress among incarcerated youth and if the effects were invariant across gender. Participants were male and female adolescents, aged 11 to 20 years, incarcerated in six juvenile correctional institutions in five states. Using data from a national study of juveniles confined to secure institutions, this study assessed the relationship between gender, sexual abuse, and depression. Adolescents who were sexually abused during childhood compared to adolescents who were not report higher levels of depression. Sexually abused girls and boys report higher levels of depression compared to boys not sexually abused. These findings suggest the importance of understanding the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and depressive symptoms among incarcerated youth. Additionally, the findings suggest that the effects of childhood sexual abuse are similar for males and females among a high-risk sample of institutionalized juvenile delinquents. Implications for treatment of incarcerated youth are discussed.