- Browse/Search the Program
Search
Program Calendar
Browse By Day
Browse By Room
- Information Menu
Search Tips
Virtual Exhibit Hall
- Navigation and Settings Menu
Personal Schedule
Sign In
Preliminary results from ISRD4 in Brazil: Testing the General Theory of Crime
Fri, September 8, 6:00 to 7:15pm, Palazzo Congressi, Floor: ground floor, Congressi 1Abstract
The General Theory of Crime (GTC) from Gottfredson and Hirschi states that self-control plays a central role in explaining crime. According to it, individual differences in crime involvement are due to variations on how much people are vulnerable to momentaneous temptations. Adolescents with low self-control are most vulnerable to it, not considering negative consequences of their behavior, therefore, are more likely to offend. The authors advocate that a lack of self-control results from ineffective socialization, due to non-satisfactory parental practices. For effective familiar socialization, four conditions are required: family bond, parental supervision, recognizing deviant behavior and responding adequately to it. GTC has been tested in many contexts and societies and has been supported by the evidence. However, it has not been tested in Brazil yet, which would represent a good challenge for the theory, considering the high crime rates, the cultural diversity, and the great socioeconomic discrepancy found in the biggest Latin-America country. So, this study is going to test the GTC in Brazil, characterizing and estimating the strength of the association between family relations, self-control, and deviant behavior. Data came from 1,834 adolescents between 13-17 years old (M=15, SD=1.2), from public (85%) and private (15%) schools in two cities in the State of São Paulo. Based on cluster analysis, we classified the adolescents according to their score in two dimensions of self-control (impulsivity and sensation seeking), resulting in two groups: high scores in both (n=834) and lower scores in both (n=1000). Then, checking the differences between clusters regarding the quality of family relationships and the level of deviant conduct, we found that the group that scored lower in self-control also scored less in family bond and supervision and reported more diversity of deviant conduct. The results support the GTC. Limitations, potentials, and future directions will be discussed.