An Empirical Test of Hirschi’s Control Theory of Delinquency Cypriot Criminal Youths in Nicosia
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Abstract
Cypriot youth crime, as most types of crime on the island, has thus far evaded thorough examination. Hirschi’s theorisation that delinquency occurs only after an individual’s connection to society attenuates is examined within a Cypriot context. The analysis of data collected from 53 Cypriot male criminal youths, points out that Hirschi’s theory does not satisfactorily explain the reasons behind their criminal acts. However, given the small size of our sample and its nonprobabilistic selection, shortcomings for robustness become inherent. Nonetheless, incumbent findings open the way to further pertinent exploration.
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Keywords
social control theory, juvenile delinquency, Cypriot criminal youths
References
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Agnew, R. (1985) ‘Social Control Theory and Delinquency: A Longitudinal Study’, Criminology, Vol. 23, pp. 47–61.
Akers, R. (1973) Deviant Behavior. A Social Learning Approach. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.
Akers, R. (2009) Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.
Brezina, T., Agnew, R., Cullen, F. and Wright, J. (2004) ‘The Code of the Street: A Qualitative Assessment of Elijah Anderson’s Subculture of Violence Thesis and its Contribution to Youth Violence Research’, Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Vol. 2, pp. 303–328.
Burton, V., Evans, D., Kethineni, S., Cullen, F., Dunaway, G. and Payne, G. (1995) ‘The Impact of Parental Controls on Delinquency’, Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 23, pp. 111–126.
Butters, J. (2002) ‘Family Stressors and Adolescent Cannabis Use: A Pathway to Problem Use’, Journal of Adolescence, Vol. 25, pp. 645–654.
Crawford, L. and Novak, K. (2007) ‘Parent-child Relations and Peer Associations as Mediators of the Family Structure – Substance Use Relationship’, Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 29, pp. 155–184.
Dornbusch, S., Erickson, K., Laird, J. and Wong, C. (2001) ‘The Relation of Family and School Attachment to Adolescent Deviance in Diverse Groups and Communities’, Journal of Adolescent Research, Vol. 16, pp. 396–422.
Ensor, T. and Godfrey, C. (1993) ‘Modelling the Interactions between Alcohol, Crime and the Criminal Justice System’, Addiction, Vol. 88, pp. 477–487.
Ginsberg, I. and Greenly, J. (1978) ‘Competing Theories of Marijuana Use: A Longitudinal Study’, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 19, pp. 22–34.
Gottfredson, D. and Soule, D. (2005) ‘The Timing of Property Crime, Violent Crime, and Substance Use among Juveniles’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 42, pp. 110–120.
Gove, W. and Crutchfield, R. (1982) ‘The Family and Juvenile Delinquency’, The Sociological Quarterly, Vol. 23, pp. 301–319.
Hatzivasilis, V. (2003) Cypriot Teenagers: Delinquency and Mental Disturbance (in Greek). Limassol: Ten on Eleven, Phot & Comp. Services Ltd.
Hindelang, M. (1973) ‘Causes of Delinquency: A Partial Replication and Extension’, Social Problems, Vol. 20, pp. 471–487.
Hirschi, T. (1969) Causes of Delinquency. California: University of California Press.
Hoffmann, J. (1995) ‘The Effects of Family Structure and Family Relations on Adolescent Marijuana Use’, Substance Use & Misuse, Vol. 30, pp. 1207–1241.
Huizinga, D., Loeber, R. and Thornberry, T. (1995) Urban Delinquency and Substance Abuse: Initial Findings. Research Summary. Maryland: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse Department.
Ireland, S. and Thommeny, J. (1993) ‘The Crime Cocktail: Licensed Premises, Alcohol and Street Offences’, Drug and Alcohol Review, Vol. 12, pp. 143–150.
Junger, M. and Marshall, I. (1997) ‘The Interethnic Generalizability of Social Control Theory: An Empirical Test’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 34, pp. 79–112.
Kapardis, A. (2010) ‘Cyprus’, in Junger-Tas, J., Marshall, I.H., Enzmann, D., Killias, M., Steketee, M. and Gruszczynska, B. (eds), Juvenile Delinquency in Europe and Beyond: Results of the Second International Self-report Delinquency Study. London: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg, pp. 245–251.
Le, T., Monfared, G. and Stockdale, G (2005) ‘The Relationship of School, Parent, and Peer Contextual Factors with Self-reported Delinquency for Chinese, Cambodian, Laotian or Mien, and Vietnamese Youth’, Crime & Delinquency, Vol. 51, pp. 192–219.
Marguin, E. and Loeber, R. (1996) ‘Academic Performance and Delinquency’, in Tonry, M. (ed.), Crime and Justice: A Review of Research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 145–264.
Matsueda, R. and Heimer K. (1987) ‘Race, Family Structure, and Delinquency: A Test of Differential Association and Social Control Theory’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 52, pp. 826–840.
Matthews, S. and Agnew, R. (2008) ‘Extending Deterrence Theory: Do Delinquent Peers Condition the Relationship between Perceptions of Getting Caught and Offending?’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 45, pp. 91–118.
Matza, D. (1964) Delinquency and Drift. London: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
McClelland, G. and Teplin, L. (2001) ‘Alcohol Intoxication and Violent Crime: Implications for Public Health Policy’, American Journal on Addictions, Vol. 10, pp. 70–85.
McGloin, J. and Shermer, L. (2009) ‘Self-control and Deviant Peer Network Structure’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 46, pp. 35–72.
Menard, S., Mihalic, S. and Huizinga, D. (2001) ‘Drugs and Crime Revisited’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 18, pp. 269–299.
Papacosta, E. (2009) ‘Female Delinquency in Secondary Schools: Trauma and Depression Precipitating Female Delinquency and the Role of Ethnic Identity in Cyprus’. Thesis, University of Middlesex. Available from [http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/2679/1/Papacosta-Female_delinqueny..._Cyprus. D_prof.pdf], accessed on 26 May 2010.
Patton, M. (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods, 3rd edition. London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Rankin, J. (1980) ‘School Factors and Delinquency: Interactions by Age and Sex’, Sociology and Social Research’, Vol. 64, pp. 420–434.
Rosenbaum, J. (1987) ‘Social Control, Gender, and Delinquency: An Analysis of Drug, Property and Violent Offenders’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 4, pp. 117–132.
Sampson, R. and Laub, J. (1990) ‘Crime and Deviance over the Life Course: The Salience of Adult Social Bonds’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 55, pp. 609–627.
Sarri, R. (1983) ‘Gender Issues in Juvenile Justice’, Crime & Delinquency, Vol. 29, pp. 381–397.
Schinkel, W. (2002) ‘The Modernist Myth in Criminology’, Theoretical Criminology, Vol. 6, pp. 123–144.
Smith, C. and Krohn, M. (1995) ‘Delinquency and Family Life among Male Adolescents: The Role of Ethnicity’, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 24, pp. 69–93.
Steketee, M., Moll, M. and Kapardis, A. (eds) (2008) Juvenile Delinquency in Six New EU Member States: Crime, Risky Behavior and Victimization in the Capital Cities of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia. The Netherlands: Verwey-Jonker Instituut.
Stolzenberg, L. and D’ Alessio, S. (2008) ‘Co-offending and the Age-crime Curve’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 45, pp. 65–86.
Stylianou, S. (2007) Juvenile Delinquency and Cypriot Society (in Greek). Nicosia: University of Nicosia Press.
Sutherland, E. (1947) Principles of Criminology. Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Weerman, F. and Smeenk, W. (2005) ‘Peer Similarity in Delinquency for Different Types of Friends: A Comparison Using Two Measurement Methods’, Criminology, Vol. 43, pp. 499–524.
Wiatrowski, M., Griswold, D. and Roberts M. (1981) ‘Social Control Theory and Delinquency’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 46, pp. 525–541.
Zhang, L. and Messner, S. (1996) ‘School Attachment and Official Delinquency Status in the People’s Republic of China’, Sociological Forum, Vol. 11, pp. 285–303.
Zhang, L., Wieczorek, W. and Welte, J. (1997) ‘The Nexus between Alcohol and Violent Crime’, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol. 21, pp. 1264–1271.
Agnew, R. (1985) ‘Social Control Theory and Delinquency: A Longitudinal Study’, Criminology, Vol. 23, pp. 47–61.
Akers, R. (1973) Deviant Behavior. A Social Learning Approach. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.
Akers, R. (2009) Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.
Brezina, T., Agnew, R., Cullen, F. and Wright, J. (2004) ‘The Code of the Street: A Qualitative Assessment of Elijah Anderson’s Subculture of Violence Thesis and its Contribution to Youth Violence Research’, Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Vol. 2, pp. 303–328.
Burton, V., Evans, D., Kethineni, S., Cullen, F., Dunaway, G. and Payne, G. (1995) ‘The Impact of Parental Controls on Delinquency’, Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 23, pp. 111–126.
Butters, J. (2002) ‘Family Stressors and Adolescent Cannabis Use: A Pathway to Problem Use’, Journal of Adolescence, Vol. 25, pp. 645–654.
Crawford, L. and Novak, K. (2007) ‘Parent-child Relations and Peer Associations as Mediators of the Family Structure – Substance Use Relationship’, Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 29, pp. 155–184.
Dornbusch, S., Erickson, K., Laird, J. and Wong, C. (2001) ‘The Relation of Family and School Attachment to Adolescent Deviance in Diverse Groups and Communities’, Journal of Adolescent Research, Vol. 16, pp. 396–422.
Ensor, T. and Godfrey, C. (1993) ‘Modelling the Interactions between Alcohol, Crime and the Criminal Justice System’, Addiction, Vol. 88, pp. 477–487.
Ginsberg, I. and Greenly, J. (1978) ‘Competing Theories of Marijuana Use: A Longitudinal Study’, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 19, pp. 22–34.
Gottfredson, D. and Soule, D. (2005) ‘The Timing of Property Crime, Violent Crime, and Substance Use among Juveniles’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 42, pp. 110–120.
Gove, W. and Crutchfield, R. (1982) ‘The Family and Juvenile Delinquency’, The Sociological Quarterly, Vol. 23, pp. 301–319.
Hatzivasilis, V. (2003) Cypriot Teenagers: Delinquency and Mental Disturbance (in Greek). Limassol: Ten on Eleven, Phot & Comp. Services Ltd.
Hindelang, M. (1973) ‘Causes of Delinquency: A Partial Replication and Extension’, Social Problems, Vol. 20, pp. 471–487.
Hirschi, T. (1969) Causes of Delinquency. California: University of California Press.
Hoffmann, J. (1995) ‘The Effects of Family Structure and Family Relations on Adolescent Marijuana Use’, Substance Use & Misuse, Vol. 30, pp. 1207–1241.
Huizinga, D., Loeber, R. and Thornberry, T. (1995) Urban Delinquency and Substance Abuse: Initial Findings. Research Summary. Maryland: Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse Department.
Ireland, S. and Thommeny, J. (1993) ‘The Crime Cocktail: Licensed Premises, Alcohol and Street Offences’, Drug and Alcohol Review, Vol. 12, pp. 143–150.
Junger, M. and Marshall, I. (1997) ‘The Interethnic Generalizability of Social Control Theory: An Empirical Test’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 34, pp. 79–112.
Kapardis, A. (2010) ‘Cyprus’, in Junger-Tas, J., Marshall, I.H., Enzmann, D., Killias, M., Steketee, M. and Gruszczynska, B. (eds), Juvenile Delinquency in Europe and Beyond: Results of the Second International Self-report Delinquency Study. London: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg, pp. 245–251.
Le, T., Monfared, G. and Stockdale, G (2005) ‘The Relationship of School, Parent, and Peer Contextual Factors with Self-reported Delinquency for Chinese, Cambodian, Laotian or Mien, and Vietnamese Youth’, Crime & Delinquency, Vol. 51, pp. 192–219.
Marguin, E. and Loeber, R. (1996) ‘Academic Performance and Delinquency’, in Tonry, M. (ed.), Crime and Justice: A Review of Research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, pp. 145–264.
Matsueda, R. and Heimer K. (1987) ‘Race, Family Structure, and Delinquency: A Test of Differential Association and Social Control Theory’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 52, pp. 826–840.
Matthews, S. and Agnew, R. (2008) ‘Extending Deterrence Theory: Do Delinquent Peers Condition the Relationship between Perceptions of Getting Caught and Offending?’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 45, pp. 91–118.
Matza, D. (1964) Delinquency and Drift. London: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
McClelland, G. and Teplin, L. (2001) ‘Alcohol Intoxication and Violent Crime: Implications for Public Health Policy’, American Journal on Addictions, Vol. 10, pp. 70–85.
McGloin, J. and Shermer, L. (2009) ‘Self-control and Deviant Peer Network Structure’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 46, pp. 35–72.
Menard, S., Mihalic, S. and Huizinga, D. (2001) ‘Drugs and Crime Revisited’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 18, pp. 269–299.
Papacosta, E. (2009) ‘Female Delinquency in Secondary Schools: Trauma and Depression Precipitating Female Delinquency and the Role of Ethnic Identity in Cyprus’. Thesis, University of Middlesex. Available from [http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/2679/1/Papacosta-Female_delinqueny..._Cyprus. D_prof.pdf], accessed on 26 May 2010.
Patton, M. (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods, 3rd edition. London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Rankin, J. (1980) ‘School Factors and Delinquency: Interactions by Age and Sex’, Sociology and Social Research’, Vol. 64, pp. 420–434.
Rosenbaum, J. (1987) ‘Social Control, Gender, and Delinquency: An Analysis of Drug, Property and Violent Offenders’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 4, pp. 117–132.
Sampson, R. and Laub, J. (1990) ‘Crime and Deviance over the Life Course: The Salience of Adult Social Bonds’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 55, pp. 609–627.
Sarri, R. (1983) ‘Gender Issues in Juvenile Justice’, Crime & Delinquency, Vol. 29, pp. 381–397.
Schinkel, W. (2002) ‘The Modernist Myth in Criminology’, Theoretical Criminology, Vol. 6, pp. 123–144.
Smith, C. and Krohn, M. (1995) ‘Delinquency and Family Life among Male Adolescents: The Role of Ethnicity’, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 24, pp. 69–93.
Steketee, M., Moll, M. and Kapardis, A. (eds) (2008) Juvenile Delinquency in Six New EU Member States: Crime, Risky Behavior and Victimization in the Capital Cities of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia. The Netherlands: Verwey-Jonker Instituut.
Stolzenberg, L. and D’ Alessio, S. (2008) ‘Co-offending and the Age-crime Curve’, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 45, pp. 65–86.
Stylianou, S. (2007) Juvenile Delinquency and Cypriot Society (in Greek). Nicosia: University of Nicosia Press.
Sutherland, E. (1947) Principles of Criminology. Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Weerman, F. and Smeenk, W. (2005) ‘Peer Similarity in Delinquency for Different Types of Friends: A Comparison Using Two Measurement Methods’, Criminology, Vol. 43, pp. 499–524.
Wiatrowski, M., Griswold, D. and Roberts M. (1981) ‘Social Control Theory and Delinquency’, American Sociological Review, Vol. 46, pp. 525–541.
Zhang, L. and Messner, S. (1996) ‘School Attachment and Official Delinquency Status in the People’s Republic of China’, Sociological Forum, Vol. 11, pp. 285–303.
Zhang, L., Wieczorek, W. and Welte, J. (1997) ‘The Nexus between Alcohol and Violent Crime’, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol. 21, pp. 1264–1271.
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“An Empirical Test of Hirschi’s Control Theory of Delinquency: Cypriot Criminal Youths in Nicosia”. 2017. Cyprus Review 24 (2): 73-94. https://cyprusreview.org/index.php/cr/article/view/135.