Does Experiencing and Witnessing Violence Negatively Impact Delinquency throughout the Life Course?

Abstract

At some point in an individual’s life, there will be some type of exposure to violence whether direct or indirect. Also described as victimization, this takes place when there is a change in three main assumptions: belief in personal invulnerability, the perception of the world as meaningful, and self-positivity (Janoff-Bulman and Frieze, 1983). There is no specific answer for the cause of delinquency, but many factors that work together (Shader, 2001). The risk factors for delinquency and victimization have been shown to be the same creating an overlap. This study focuses on whether witnessing or experiencing violence can result in delinquent behavior throughout the life course. It will help provide insight of predictors and risk factors of delinquent behavior to increase the chances of them being caught early on. Using a Multivariate Binomial Regression Analyses, it was found that victimization was associated with criminal behavior at every wave and low self-control in every wave except the third. It was also found that drug use, age, and being a male was related to the likelihood of one committing crime in all four waves.