AN EXAMINATION OF PARENTAL INFLUENCE ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY USING NEUTRALIZATION THEORY

Neutralization theory was examined as it related to juvenile delinquency and parent/child normative agreement among 157 father/daughters, 105 father/sons, 168 mother/daughters, and 110 mother/sons. University students and their parents completed questionnaires concerning the extent to which they end...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of sociology of the family 1999-10, Vol.29 (2), p.81-95
Main Author: DODDER, RICHARD A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children
College Students
Criminal sociology. Police. Delinquency. Deviance. Suicide
Daughters
Fathers
Juvenile Delinquency
Morality
Mothers
Neutralization Theory
Norms
Parent Child Relations
Parental Influence
Parents
Questionnaires
Rebellion
Situational ethics
Sociology
Sociology of law and criminology
Sons
Young offenders
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Summary:Neutralization theory was examined as it related to juvenile delinquency and parent/child normative agreement among 157 father/daughters, 105 father/sons, 168 mother/daughters, and 110 mother/sons. University students and their parents completed questionnaires concerning the extent to which they endorsed moral absolutes, situational ethics, neutralization and rebellions absolutes in reference to 13 illegal behaviors. Results provided no strong evidence of parental influence on their youngster's normative acceptance but were supportive of Neutralization theory; i.e., while there was little agreement between parent and child on normative acceptance, among those with agreement, accepting neutralizations related to committing more delinquency. Daughters were more similar to each parent; and both sons and daughters were more similar to their mothers. In addition, the results seemed to indicate that as parents make exceptions to moral absolutes, their youngsters also make exceptions, although not the same ones as the parents make, which justify the delinquent acts they commit.
ISSN:0020-7667
0973-2039
0020-7667