This study examines self-control theory using the criminal records of 500 adult arrestees. Four indicators taken from official rap sheets (aliases, Social Security numbers, and dates and places of birth) were used to create a self-control measure. Negative binomial regression models indicated that offenders who scored low on the self-control measure accumulated significantly more violent Index, property Index, white-collar, and nuisance arrests net the effects of control variables. These findings contribute to the empirical support for self-control theory and indicate that self-control is salient using a criminal sample.
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