GETTING INTO STREET CRIME - THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF CRIMINAL EMBEDDEDNESS

Combining insights from Granovetter's research on embeddedness, Colema n's work on social capital and Sutherland's theory of differential ass ociation, we suggest that embeddedness in networks of deviant associat ions provides access to tutelage relationships that facilitate the acq uisition of criminal skills and attitudes, assets that we call ''crimi nal capital.'' We test our hypotheses with structural equation models of drug-selling, theft and prostitution among a sample of homeless you th (N = 390). Our results reveal that embeddedness in criminal network s enhances exposure to tutelage relationships and that crime increases with such exposure. These results remain when controls are introduced for home and school experiences, time af risk, situational adversity, and previous criminal experiences. Our analysis raises doubts about a ssertions that crimes are crudely impulsive acts that require little l earning or skill and reflect a general imperviousness to others. Inste ad, a sensitivity to others, particularly potential tutors, appears to enhance crime by allowing for the acquisition of criminal capital in a tutelage relationship. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.