Contemporary Theories of Deviance and Female Delinquency: an Empirical Test

Abstract

A statewide sample of Iowa teenagers was used to test two hypotheses: (1) The strength of the relationship between the independent variables of traditional theories of criminal deviance and self-reported delinquency would be approximately the same for both males and females, and (2) the differences between the sexes in terms of self-reported delinquency could be accounted for by females' less adverse location in relation to these various independent variables. An attempt was made to operationalize key variables from anomie, labeling, control, and differential association theories. The two hypotheses were largely supported.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Adler, F. 1975 Sisters in Crime New York: McGraw-Hill.

Behavioral Research And Evaluation Corporation 1976 Research Handbook for Community Planning and Feedback Instruments , rev. ed. Boulder, Colo.: Behavioral Research and Evaluation Corp.

Datesman, S.K. , F.R. Scarpitti , and R.M. Stephenson 1975

"Female Delinquency: An Application of Self and Opportunity Theories."

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 12 (2): 107-123

. Gibbons, D.C. 1976 Delinquent Behavior 2d ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.

Glueck, S. , and E. Glueck 1950 Unraveling Juvenile Delinquency Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Gold, M. 1963 Status Forces in Delinquent Boys Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research.

Harris, A.R. 1977

"Sex and Theories of Deviance: Toward a Functional Theory of Deviant Scripts."

American Sociological Review 42 (1): 3-16

. Helmstadter, G.L. 1970 Research Concepts in Human Behavior New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hindelang, M.J. 1971

"Age, Sex, and Versatility of Delinquent Involvements."

Social Problems 18 (4): 522-535

10.

. Hirschi, T. 1969 Causes of Delinquency Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press.

11.

Klein, D. 1973

"The Etiology of Female Crime: A Review of the Literature."

Issues in Criminology 8 (2): 3-30

12.

. Lemert, E.M. 1951 Social Pathology: A Systematic Approach to the Theory of Sociopathic Behavior New York: McGraw-Hill.

13.

Merton, R.K. 1957 Social Theory and Social Structure rev. ed. Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press.

14.

Nettler, G. 1978 Explaining Crime, 2d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

15.

Nye, F.I. , and J.F. Short, Jr. 1957

"Scaling Delinquent Behavior."

American Sociological Review 22 (3): 326-331

16.

. Rodman, H. , and P. Grams 1967 "Juvenile Delinquency and the Family: A Review and Discussion." In the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, Task Force Report: Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Crime Washington, D.C.: Govt. Printing Office. Pp. 188-221.

17.

Rosenberg, M. 1965 Society and the Adolescent Self-Image Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.

18.

Short, J.F. , and F.I. Nye 1957

"Reported Behavior as a Criterion of Deviant Behavior."

Social Problems -585 (3): 207-213

19.

. Simon, R.J. 1975 Women and Crime Lexington, Mass .: D. C. Heath.

20.

Sutherland, E.H. , and D.R. Cressey 1978 Criminology, 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott.