Assessing Change in Susceptibility to Peer Influence in a Sample of Serious Adolescent Delinquents

• In Event: Peer and Gang Influences on Delinquency

Abstract

Desistance scholars and correctional practitioners have long recognized the influence of deviant peers for the continued criminal behavior of system-involved youth. In particular, the severing of ties to antisocial others has been seen as a crucial component toward maintaining a law-abiding lifestyle. The implication of this finding for intervention is less clear, however, and a host of practical concerns limit the changes that can be expected on behalf of youth surrounded by deviant peers. A more promising approach may be to focus on the factors that affect the susceptibility of these youth to deviant peer influence. The purpose of the current work, therefore, is to identify the predictors of change in susceptibility to peer influence within a sample of previously arrested high-risk youth. We discuss the implications of our work for programs and policies designed to intervene in the lives of delinquent youth.

Authors

• Kevin Wright, Arizona State University

• Jacob Young, Arizona State University