Race, Parenting Practices, and Delinquency

• In Event: Family Relationships, Delinquency, and Recidivism

Abstract

Several criminological theories posit that parenting practices affect children’s delinquency, but few of these theories specify whether or not there are race differences in the use of different parenting practices or in their impact on delinquency. This paper draws on prospective data from 700 White and African American families participating in the multi-site Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) to examine race differences in a variety of parenting practices, including parent/child attachment, parent monitoring, parent use of corporal punishment, and parent-perpetrated physical abuse. Multivariate analyses examine the impact of these practices on externalizing behaviors and delinquency, and whether or not the relationships vary by race.

Authors

• Abigail A Fagan, University of Florida

• Chris Gibson, University of Florida