Examining the Role of Cultural Variables in the Victimization–Delinquency Overlap Among Latino Youth from a General Strain Theory Perspective

Abstract

Given the rapid growth of the Latino population in the United States, criminological research has begun to explore the ways in which pathways to crime may depend on different social statuses such as race and ethnicity. Incorporating cultural factors into the study of general strain theory (GST) among Latino youth can help elucidate which cultural factors protect these adolescents from engaging in criminal activity and provide recommendations for relevant crime prevention policy. Using data from the Dating Violence among Latino Adolescents study, the current research seeks to develop a more nuanced, culturally sensitive understanding of the victimization–delinquency overlap among Latino youth using a GST framework. Overall, results from this study both support and raise questions about the generalizability of GST to the Latino population. The results provide partial support for the role of culturally relevant variables in the GST process. In addition, results from this study show anger is the key construct mediating the victimization–delinquency overlap among Latino youth. Findings from this research expand our knowledge of how GST applies to an expanding, yet understudied population.