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Self-Control and Racial Disparities in Delinquency: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

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Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to examine the racial disparities of offending within the context of self-control theory. The study utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), to examine this effect. All concepts within self-control theory are examined: parental management, low self-control, and delinquency. Results from the study show partial support for Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) self-control theory. The structure of the theory remained stable when controlling for both race, as well as peer pressure. Both theoretical and policy implications are given.

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Notes

  1. We acknowledge that Hirschi (2004) and Gottfredson (2006) have published parallel reconceptualizations of self-control. They have argued that researchers have spent too much time and resources examining something that they do not understand--low self-control. To alleviate this problem, they have redefined low self-control to self-control (i.e., the ability to foresee the consequences of one’s actions). With this redefinition, Hirschi (2004) and Gottfredson (2006) take two stances: 1) the characteristics are probably not necessary to understand self-control; thus, we present them here from a traditional perspective, and 2) the measurement of self-control differs by age but behavioral measures are still appropriate to use with juveniles.

  2. These data have been used in other studies of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) theory (Beaver, Wright, DeLisi, & Vaughn, 2008; Chapple, 2005; Chapple & Hope, 2003; Hay, 2001; Hay & Forrest, 2008; Higgins, Kirchner, Ricketts, & Marcum, 2011; Nofziger, 2008; Pratt et al., 2004; Turner & Piquero, 2002; Wright & Cullen, 2001) suggesting that the data are appropriate for this study.

  3. Complete information on our use of full information maximum likelihood estimation can be obtained by the second author on request.

  4. This measure may not readily indicate monitoring but it does indicate expectations. The higher the levels of expectations the more likely the parents are paying attention (i.e., monitoring) to their child.

  5. This coding scheme for our use of the measures is consistent with others that have used the BPI in studies of self-control (Nofziger, 2008; Turner & Piquero, 2002).

  6. Given the size of the correlation matrix, the correlations are available from the second author on request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, USA

    EmmaLeigh E. Kirchner

  2. Department of Justice Administration, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    George E. Higgins

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  1. EmmaLeigh E. Kirchner
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  2. George E. Higgins
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Correspondence to George E. Higgins.

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Kirchner, E.E., Higgins, G.E. Self-Control and Racial Disparities in Delinquency: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Am J Crim Just 39, 436–449 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-013-9205-7

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