비행 발달과정에 관한 두 가지 관점의 비교 연구

This study examines two contrasting perspectives explaining the continuity and change of delinquency and crime from middle adolescence to early adulthood. Specifically, this study considers two issues: age effect and family bond influence. Latent trait perspective argues that age-crime curve is unique to delinquent population, whereas life-course perspective suggests that age-crime curve can vary by the different onset of delinquency. Latent trait perspective maintains that family bond is not major factor to determine delinquent trajectory because the cause of delinquency is underlying criminal propensity. In contrast, life-course perspective suggests that family bond is an important factor to explain delinquent trajectory since weaken family bond increases delinquency, which in turn weakens future family bond. 390 males from a longitudinal data set, National Youth Survey are used to test hypotheses derived from the two different perspectives. Considering age effects, the results indicate that a different onset of delinquency is an important factor to explain delinquent trajectory but a unique age effect still exists. The results support life-course perspective for the influence of family bond. Especially, the effect of family bond is stronger for later onset group than early onset group.