Artefacts in Delinquency Specialisation and Generalisation Studies

The paper challenges the results of past factor analylic studies in delinquency which have purportedly shown more evidence for generalised than for specialised delinquency in juveniles. An examination of existing studies shows that reports of generalised delinquency often coincide with the use of self-reported delinquency measures containing few answer categories, while specialised delinquency is more apparent when more answer categories are used. The present study systematically manipulates the answer categories of an existing data set and reports on the results of various factor analysis techniques comparing three-answer with continuous-answer categories. When the number of factor loadings is the criterion, a three-answer version compared with a continuous-answer version produces more evidence of generalised delinquency, particularly in the case of principal component analysis or varimax rotation. When factor labels served as the criterion, the opposite was found. The contents of the factors were very much a function of the truncation of the answer categories. In summary, manipulation of answer categories produces considerably divergent results, which easily could lead to substantially different conclusions about the presence or absence of delinquency specialisation or generalisation

Criminology · Developmental psychology · Econometrics · Juvenile delinquency · Principal component analysis · Psychometrics · Varimax rotation · Artificial Intelligence · Cognitive and psychological constructs research · Computer Science · Diverse Academic Research Areas · Mathematics · Psychology · Statistical Methods and Applications

• The Impact of Ilderton Motor Project on Motor Vehicle Crime and Offending

  J Wilkinson, J ERIC WILKINSON•The British Journal of Criminology•1997

  Incluir item

• Patterns of Delinquency in Norwegian Adolescents

  Willy Pedersen, Lars Wichstrøm•The British Journal of Criminology•1995

  Incluir item

• The offending cycle, escalation and de‐escalation in delinquent behavior

  Marc Le Blanc•International Journal of…•2002

  Incluir item

• Delinquent behavior in an American city.

  Martin Gold•Delinquent behavior in an…•1970

  Incluir item

• Explaining Delinquency and Drug Use

  David Huizinga, Delbert S Elliott et al.•Explaining Delinquency and Drug Use•1989

  Incluir item

• The Stability of Antisocial and Delinquent Child Behavior

  Rolf Loeber•Child Development•1982

  Incluir item

• Self-Reported Delinquency in Boys Aged 11 to 14

  Joanna Shapland, JOANNA M SHAPLAND•The British Journal of Criminology•1978

  Incluir item

• Age, Sex, and the Versatility of Delinquent Involvements

  Michael J Hindelang•Social Problems•1971

  Incluir item

• Delinquent Career-Lines

  Open Access•D Randall Smith, William R Smith et al.•Sociological Quarterly•1984

  Incluir item