Same-Sex Attractions and Juvenile Delinquency

• In Event: 477 - Section on Crime, Law, and Deviance Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Children, Youth, and Violence 1

Abstract

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) youth have been the subject of extensive examination within bodies of LGBTQ, psychology, sociology, and public health literature. Discourse and research concerning LGBTQ youth, however, has remained mostly absent in the criminological sphere. Drawing from the general strain theory framework, the current study investigates the offending patterns of LGBTQ youth compared with heteronormative adolescents. Using the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the results show that youth with homosexual attractions exhibit significantly higher levels of delinquent offending than youth with heterosexual attractions. In accord with general strain theory propositions, higher levels of depression among youth with non-heteronormative attractions partially account for the effect of homosexual attraction on offending. Further, higher rates of violent victimization, troubles in school, and parental conflict also mediate the effect of homosexual attractions. Males and females with same-sex attractions show similar patterns of offending.

Authors

• Ryan Schroeder, University of Louisville

• George Higgins, University of Louisville

• Zach Leamy, University of Louisville