A Longitudinal Test of the Mediating Effect of Substance Use on the Relationship Between Social Bonds and Offending.

• In Event: Developmental Perspectives on the Relationship Between Substance Use and Offending

Abstract

Individuals who continue to engage in antisocial behaviors throughout their life-course are more likely to encounter the criminal justice system and ultimately, are more likely to experience cumulative consequences associated with engaging in such behaviors. However, this knowledge does not offer any insight into the mechanism affecting behavioral trajectories in offending over the life-course. Sampson and Laub’s age-graded theory of informal social control predicts that individual heterogeneity in social bonds would explain involvement in antisocial behaviors over time. This study uses longitudinal data on approximately 1300 serious young offenders in two major cities in the United States. Specifically, we use latent growth curves to examine the relationship between changes in social bonds and offending over time. In addition, we test whether substance use mediates this relationship. The discussion considers whether substance use hinders the desistance process among a sample of serious juvenile offenders.

Authors

• Omeed Ilchi, University of Cincinnati

• Derek Mueller, University of Cincinnati

• Christopher Sullivan, University of Cincinnati