Abstracts Category : Other

The role of cultural variables in the victimization-delinquency overlap among Latino youth: a general strain theory perspective

by Rebecca M Cudmore

Although criminological research has provided support for the relationship between victimization and delinquency more broadly, little is known about the relationship between victimization and delinquency (i.e. the victimization-delinquency overlap) among certain ethno-racial minorities, including Latino adolescents. Among Latinos, important cultural factors include familial support, immigration, and acculturation/enculturation. Previous research has emphasized the importance of taking into account stressors related to immigration and the acculturation process. These findings highlight the importance of examining these cultural factors to further our understanding of the victimization-delinquency overlap among Latino youth. Extending this body of literature to include factors salient to Latinos is particularly timely given the recent rapid growth of this population in the United States.; One approach for conceptualizing the victimization-delinquency overlap is to examine the relationship within a general strain theory (GST) framework. However, there are several gaps in the GST literature that this study intends to address. First, a more nuanced, culturally-sensitive understanding of the victimization-delinquency overlap among Latino youth will be gained from the proposed study. Second, the concept of victimization will be expanded to include a measure of polyvictimization, which has not been examined in previous GST studies. Finally, this study proposes to evaluate the role of several key emotions as mediators in the GST process.; The findings of this study are important for shaping policy and clinical practice, including school- and family-based interventions, and mental health treatment. The overarching goal of research on the victimization-delinquency overlap, and GST more specifically, is to better understand how victimized individuals go on to commit crime and thus develop prevention programs to dissuade criminal behavior. It is important to consider, however, that a one-size-fits-all approach to crime prevention may not be most effective. Thus, incorporating cultural factors into the study of GST among Latino youth can help elucidate which cultural factors protect these adolescents from engaging in criminal activity and provide recommendations for relevant crime prevention policy.