Social Correlates of Delinquency for Youth in Need of Mental Health Services: Examining the Scope Conditions of Criminological Theories

• NCJ Number: 240218
• Journal: Justice Quarterly Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2012 Pages: 546-572
• Author(s): Matt Vogel; Steven F. Messner
• Date Published: August 2012
• Length: 27 pages
• Contract Number(s): 280-03-1603; 280-03-1604
• Sponsoring Agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin (SAMHSA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research); Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper examines criminological literature and work in the field of children's mental health by evaluating the combined effects of social and mental health predictors on juvenile delinquency.

Abstract

While both traditional criminological inquiry and mental health research have identified internal and external constellations of risk factors associated with juvenile offending, interdisciplinary discourse has been limited. This paper takes a step in bridging the gap between criminological literature and work in the field of children's mental health by evaluating the combined effects of social and mental health predictors on juvenile delinquency in a sample of youth with diagnosed clinical disorders. Results of multivariate analyses indicate that both traditional social risk factors as well as indicators of the nature and severity of youths' mental health disorders contribute to delinquency. Moreover, the influence of one well-established risk factor, self-control, on delinquency is moderated by the presence of oppositional defiant disorder. The results of this study suggest that researchers and practitioners should consider the cumulative influence of social risk factors and psychological impairment in the etiology of delinquency. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.