The Mediating Role of Street Code Attitudes on the Self-Control and Crime Relationship. Issue 10 (3rd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Intravia, Jonathan; Gibbs, Benjamin R; Wolff, Kevin T; Paez, Rocio; Bernheimer, Allison; Piquero, Alex R
• Is Part Of: Deviant behavior. Volume 39:Issue 10(2018)
• Page Start: 1305
• Page End: 1321
• Publication Date: 2018-10-03
• Subjects: Deviant behavior -- Periodicals; 302.54205
• DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2017.1410611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-9625

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Research has demonstrated strong but independent attention to the role of self-control and street code attitudes in predicting criminal and violent behavior. Yet, there are good theoretical notions to believe that street code attitudes may be a salient mechanism in the self-control–offending relationship. Specifically, the present study investigates: (1) the extent to which self-control predicts adopting street code attitudes and (2) whether street code attitudes mediate the effect of self-control on criminal behavior. Using data collected from a multisite sample of over 900 young adults, we assess this mediation hypothesis for three distinct types of criminal activity: violent, property, and drug use. Our results reveal that individuals with lower self-control are more likely to adopt street code attitudes, that self-control is related to all three forms of offending, and that street code attitudes fully mediate the effect of self-control on violence, partially on property crime, but not in the case of drug use. Findings and directions for future research are discussed.