Peer Delinquency among Digital Natives: The Cyber Context as a Source of Peer Influence

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines the influence of online peers who are not regularly seen in person by considering if online, pro-delinquent support is associated with self-reported delinquency independently of delinquent peers. Methods: Data come from a longitudinal, panel survey of two cohorts of middle and high school students located within six school districts (N = 1,177). Analyses first examine the overlap between online peer support for delinquency and perceived peer delinquency. Next, models consider how measures of online peer support for delinquency are associated with the prevalence (logit), variety (negative binomial), and changes (first difference) in self-reported delinquency. Results: Online peers generally do not enable exposure to new messages supportive of delinquency; rather, they supplement influences derived from delinquent peers. Little evidence was found that online peer support was associated with general delinquency and violence, although changes in online peer support were associated with changes in these outcomes. Partial evidence was found that online peers are associated with the prevalence, variety, and changes in self-reported theft and substance use. Conclusions: The influence from unique online peers is largely secondary to offline peers, although this depends upon the crime type under investigation.

The Challenges of Empirically Comparing Cybercriminals and Traditional Offenders

“…While this finding was not in line with the findings from Weulen Kranenbarg and colleagues (2021), the study also showed that the criminal behavior of online social ties (who a respondent did not know or see offline) was relatively more important for cybercriminal behavior of an individual than for traditional criminal behavior (Van der Toolen et al, 2020). In line with this finding, research in the United States on traditional crime (McCuddy, 2020) has shown that online peer groups are important for traditional criminal behavior but only secondary to offline peer groups. Together these studies indicate that other types of social contacts should be included in research on cybercrime and social learning.…”

The Interplay Between Virtual Socializing, Unstructured Socializing, and Delinquency

“…For example, McCuddy and Vogel (2015) found that exposure to violent offending through social networking sites significantly predicted self-reported violent offending and exposure to non-violent offending through social networking sites predicted self-reported non-violent offending. Relatedly, McCuddy (2021) noted that changes in online peer support for criminal behavior was associated with changes in self-reported offending. These studies demonstrate that virtual peer behavior, particularly exposure to online criminal behavior, can have an impact on real world delinquency.…”

Delinquent and Risk Behaviour among High School Students in a Canadian Prairie City: A Multivariate Analysis

“…Understanding these two types of problem behaviour requires the use of an integrated framework. The theories of self-control (also known as the general theory of crime), differential association (i.e., association with delinquent peers), and social bond (i.e., meaningful attachment and participation in convention 6 activities), which are among the most influential and empirically tested theoretical perspectives for the explanation of youth risk and delinquent behaviour (McCuddy, 2021;Meldrum et al, 2009;Peterson et al, 2016;Vera & Moon, 2013), are particularly useful. These theories point primarily to the vitality of familial (i.e., parents) and nonfamilial (i.e., peers) relationships in the prohibition or development of problem behaviour.…”