Chris L. Gibson

Social integration, individual perceptions of collective efficacy, and fear of crime in three cities

Several rival explanations have been advanced to account for fear of crime among neighborhood residents. Social integration is the least developed concept in this regard. We assess the mediating role that perceptions of neighborhood collective efficacy, defined as the trustworthiness of neighbors and their willingness to intervene as informal social control agents, have in the relationship between social integration and fear of crime. Our data were obtained from random sample surveys of residents conducted in three cities. Structural equation models indicate that social integration operates through perceptions of collective efficacy in predicting fear of crime, and similar results appear across three cities.

“Does It Take a Village?”: Assessing Neighborhood Influences on Children’s Self-Control

Although individuals low in self-control are more likely to engage in antisocial and criminal behavior, few studies have investigated its sources. Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that primary caregivers are largely responsible, whereas Wikström and Sampson contend that self-control is partially a function of neighborhood context. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, the authors assessed neighborhood effects on children’s self-control. They found significant variation in self-control between neighborhoods, but it accounted for a small amount of the total variance. In the initial model, neighborhood structural characteristics had direct effects on self-control, but after taking into account individual-level characteristics, they became nonsignificant. Furthermore, parenting variables exhibited significant and consistent effects on self-control. The authors consider the theoretical implications of the findings, address limitations, and provide suggestions for future research.

Exploring the Link Between Low Self-Control and Violent Victimization Trajectories in Adolescents

Although the relationship between Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory and crime is well known in the literature, much less research has addressed the possible link of low self-control and violent victimization. Drawing from the limited research in this area, the authors explore the trajectories of low self-control and violent victimization among a sample of adolescents from the Gang Resistance Education and Training data. The results appear to suggest that self-control is largely stable and that self-control trajectories are linked to violent victimization trajectories over time. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Low self-control and coworker delinquency: A research note

Abstract Since the publication of Gottfredson and Hirschi [A General Theory of Crime. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. Press, 1990], a large amount of research has shown a link between low self-control and delinquency. Some research has revealed that low self-control has not been able to account for the strong effects of peer delinquency on delinquency. Criminological literature has, until recently, neglected the interactional relationship between low self-control and delinquent peers in predicting delinquency. This study used a sample of employed high school seniors to assess the interaction between low self-control and coworker delinquency on occupational delinquency. Regression analyses indicated that the interaction term was a strong predictor of occupational delinquency, even after controlling for several established predictors of delinquency.

Secondary Exposure to Violence During Childhood and Adolescence: Does Neighborhood Context Matter?

Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), neighborhood and individual‐level predictors of secondary exposure to violence were assessed. Secondary exposure to violence is defined as witnessing and/or hearing violent acts, as opposed to being a victim of violence directly. A substantial amount of between neighborhood variance was accounted for by individual‐level variables including gender, race/ethnicity, age, low self‐control, and prior delinquent involvement. At the neighborhood level, concentrated disadvantage and immigrant concentration were both related to exposure to secondary violence. Specifically, children and adolescents living in more disadvantaged contexts witness and hear violence at higher rates than those living in less disadvantaged contexts. Also, those living in areas with a higher concentration of immigrants are exposed to secondary violence at higher rates than those living in areas with a lower concentration of immigrants. Finally, youth services within neighborhoods served as a protective factor against exposure. Results suggest a need to target multiple neighborhood and individual correlates simultaneously to reduce secondary violence exposure among children and adolescents. Directions for future research are discussed.

Evidence of a Gene X Environment Interaction in the Creation of Victimization Results From a Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents

A large body of research has revealed that aggressive personality traits and violent criminal behaviors are influenced by genetic factors. Surprisingly, however, no research has been devoted to investigating the potential genetic origins to adolescent victimization. In the current study, the authors address this gap in the literature by using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine whether different variants of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) are related to victimization, net of the effects of environmental measures. The results of the multivariate models revealed a significant gene X environment interaction in the creation of victimization for White males. Specifically, DRD2 interacted with delinquent peers to predict victimization. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.

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.

Assessing the relationship between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and age at first police contact

Several types of pre- and perinatal risk factors, such as maternal cigarette smoking, are related to various manifestations of life-course-persistent criminal offending. Studies have reported evidence of a relationship between maternal prenatal cigarette smoking and antisocial/criminal behavior. All of these studies, however, used white male samles, thus limiting the generalizability of research findings. In an attempt to overcome this problem, we employ data from the Philadelphia portion of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project to examine the possible link between maternal prenatal cigarette smoking and the age at first police contact in a cohort of African-American males and females followed through age 17. Logistic regression analysis indicates that maternal prenatal cigarette smoking has a significant effect on the age at first police contact, even with controls for a variety of other risk factors. Although maternal cigarette smoking significantly predicted early onset among males but not females, odds ratios suggest that the effect is quite similar across genders. Future research directions are addressed.

ASSESSING THE GENERALITY OF GENERAL STRAIN THEORY: THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG OCCUPATIONAL STRESS EXPERIENCED BY MALE POLICE OFFICERS AND DOMESTIC FORMS OF VIOLENCE

ABSTRACT Agnews (1992) General Strain Theory (GST) is one of the more recent advances in criminological theory. This study explores the generality of GST using a sample of 596 Baltimore, Maryland male police officers that variably report engaging in domestic forms of violence. Logistic and OLS regression analyses indicate that occupational strain has an indirect relationship with domestic violence through negative affective measures of anger and depression. Strain/negative affect-alleviating factors, i.e., social support and spiritual coping, did not have an effect on domestic violence. Overall, the relationships among variables lend support for the theory even when controls are considered. Limitations of the study and directions for future research on GST and police officer strain are discussed.

An Investigation of Neighborhood Disadvantage, Low Self-Control, and Violent Victimization Among Youth

This research combines social disorganization and self-control perspectives to understand personal victimization among youth. In doing so, several research questions are investigated to explore the independent and interactive influences on violent victimization risk. Using data from the Longitudinal Cohort Study in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN-LCS), results from several multivariate models show that, independent of various situational and lifestyle choices made by adolescents, low self-control increases the likelihood of violent victimization. Further analysis shows that this association varies across levels of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage; low self-control’s influence in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods dissipates while it is amplified for those living in the least disadvantaged neighborhoods. The implications of these findings are discussed.