Self-Concept and Violent Delinquency in Urban African-American Adolescent Males

Abstract

African-American adolescent males experience a disproportionate rate of victimization associated with and arrest for violent crime. This study examined the between self-concept and violent delinquency within a group of 155 urban African-American adolescent males. Walter Reckless's 1967 containment theory, which suggest that a positive self-concept will insulate a juvenile from delinquency and crime, served as the theoretical frame of reference. The participants included 155 African-American males aged 13 to 19 years who completed the Adolescent Life Survey, developed by the investigators, and the Tennessee Self-concept Scale. Quantitative measurments of self-concept and delinquency were obtained. In general, the findings did not support containment theory. However, the study does present new data regarding serious violent delinquency.

Menores infractores: un estudio de campo de los factores de riesgo

“…Tomando en consideración estas limitaciones, y en base a los resultados extraídos en nuestro trabajo, hemos sacado las siguientes conclusiones: a) Aunque la literatura tiende a relacionar un autoconcepto negativo con el comportamiento antisocial y desviado (Fariña et al, 2010;Vázquez et al, 2008;Ybrandt, 2008), en este trabajo no se han detectado diferencias en autoconcepto entre menores infractores y el del grupo normativo en ninguna de sus principales dimensiones (académica, social, emocional y familiar). De este modo, los resultados hallados son más congruentes con aquellos trabajos que detectaron un autoconcepto elevado en individuos antisociales, posiblemente como consecuencia de internalizar la conducta delictiva como apropiada o a un sentimiento de conformidad con su identidad (Bynum y Weiner, 2002). Así, podría producirse un procesamiento de la información distorsionado que neutralizaría su autoconcepto negativo, concibiendo su conducta como un acto no desviado (Vázquez et al, 2011).…”

Why Not Let Kids Be Kids? An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship Between Alternative Rationales for Managing Status Offending and Youths’ Self-Concepts

“…Drawing from Matsueda's (1992) conceptual framework and the extensive amount of research emphasizing the adverse effects of a negative self-concept on outcomes including delinquency (Bynum and Weiner 2002;Datesman et al 1975;Datesman 1982;Levy 2001;Terrell and Taylor 1980;Vermeiren et al 2004) the current study examines the effects that three different approaches to responding to status offenders have on their reflected self-appraisals or conceptualization of self. Ultimately, the study is an exploration as to whether a particular alternative agency rationale (i.e., deterrence or normalization) demonstrates a statistically significant association with a youth's self-concept compared with the treatment-based approach.…”

An Examination of the Influence of Perceived Parenting Practices on Depression and Substance Use Among African American Juvenile Offenders

“…For instance, almost half of African American youth are poor, versus about one sixth of white, non-Hispanic Americans (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003). Compared to the general adolescent population as well as other minority groups, African American youth have greater exposure to neighborhoods of crime and violence and are disproportionately targeted by and represented in the juvenile justice system, encompassing approximately 43% of the juvenile offender population (Bynum & Weiner, 2002;Caldwell, Silverman, Lefforge, & Silver, 2004;OJJDP, 2003;Tatum, 1996). Further, African American adolescents are disproportionately victimized, accounting for almost 50% of American murder victims (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003;Caldwell, Kohn-Wood, Schmeelk-Cone, Chavous, & Zimmerman, 2004).…”

“…Further, African American adolescents are disproportionately victimized, accounting for almost 50% of American murder victims (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003;Caldwell, Kohn-Wood, Schmeelk-Cone, Chavous, & Zimmerman, 2004). Moreover, African American males from 14-to 17-years-old are eight times more likely to be murdered than their Caucasian counterparts; and the ratio for females is six to one (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003;Bynum & Weiner, 2002). In fact, homicide is the leading cause of death for both male and female African American adolescents (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003;.…”