•  
  •  
 

Mentor

Brad Tripp, Ph.D.

Major

Psychology

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Examining factors that contribute to the initiation, continuation, and desistance of criminal activities is crucial in determining how the criminal justice system can be reformed in an effort to decrease recidivism rates, as well as halt the initiation of juveniles into the criminal realm in the first place. This study examined longitudinal data from the daily reports of the Rock Hill Police Department, as organized by the Crime Mapping Division. The study examines juvenile suspects between the ages of 10-17 during 2003-2007. Wave One looked at subjects ages 10-13 in 2003/2004. Wave Two looked at subjects ages 12-14 in 2005/2006, and Wave Three looked at subjects ages 15-17 in 2007/2008.Using the concepts of Criminal Careers and recidivism, the goal was to examine continuation or desistance of criminal behavior over six years. Indicators of race, gender, residence in gang areas, hotspots, as well as residence in a single dwelling or an apartment were used to predict continued criminal behavior. The majority of the subjects were black or white with all other races representing less than ten percent of the population. Therefore, only suspects coded as black or white were utilized. The data was examined using Linear Regressions Analysis and Chi Squares test. The Linear Regressions Analysis found that there was no significant association between offending and race, gender, gang areas, and residence in a single dwelling or apartment for Wave One only, Wave One and Three only, and Wave One and Two only. When examining offending across all three waves, there was a significant association between residents in hotspots and gang areas, as well as race.

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS