Network structure and delinquent attitudes within a juvenile gang

The literature reveals that delinquency is a group phenomenon. However, there is controversy regarding the explanation of this finding. Subcultural theorists argue that youths become delinquent through peer socialization in youth gangs. Control theorists, by contrast, argue that adolescents become delinquent and associate with delinquent others because they have weakened bonds to the conventional order. Our paper examines the role of social bonds and group structure in the generation of delinquency through the application of social network analysis. Our findings support the control explanation; those members who have the weakest bonds, regardless of gang participation, are the most delinquent (as measured by delinquent attitudes). While our results indicate that companionship (by itself) does not lead youths to become delinquent, we argue that it is still important in the explanation of delinquency.

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