TESTING AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF DELINQUENCY USING LISREL

This study of 1,093 public high school students was designed to test a n integrated theoretical model of delinquency, consisting of elements of social control and differential association theories, with LISREL p rocedures. The model confirmed with LISREL was very similar to the hyp othesized model. The hypothesized model was fitted to data in one rand om sample taken from the original sample. and then confirmed in a sepa rate random sample of respondents. The confirmed model showed a co-var iant relationship between attachment to parents and religion. and each of these elements of bonding had a positive relationship to conventio nal beliefs. Conventional beliefs had an inverse relationship to diffe rential association with delinquent peers. as well as to frequency of delinquent behavior. Modeling peer delinquent behavior increased delin quency. as did excuses for crime, and these excuses had a reciprocal r elationship with perception of the rewards of delinquency. Theoretical and practice implications of the study were discussed.