T. Bjarnason et al., Human agency, capable guardians, and structural constraints: A lifestyle approach to the study of violent victimization, J YOUTH ADO, 28(1), 1999, pp. 105-119
The lifestyle/routine activities perspective can be developed to conceptual
ize violent victimization as the outcome of structural factors, interperson
al relations, patterns of behavior, and plain bad luck. Structural factors
may affect the rate of violence in society, the social and cultural resourc
es available to individuals, and the lifestyles that they choose to adopt.
The social and cultural resources of parents can be expected to diminish ad
olescents' risk of victimization. Furthermore, the strength of parental rel
ations can be expected to determine the importance of parents as capable gu
ardians in the general life situation of their children. Within this contex
t, adolescents who engage in delinquent or violent behavior can be expected
to be disproportionately victimized. Studies conducted in the United State
s and Britain suggest that violent behavior is the major risk factor for vi
olent victimization, and the present analysis indicates that despite struct
ural and cultural differences on the societal level this also holds rme in
Iceland. Parental support, educational achievement, and delinquent lifestyl
es are also found to be moderately related to violent victimization, bur th
at effect appears to be largely mediated through violent lifestyles. Althou
gh both violent behavior and violent victimization are far less common amon
g females than males, we find the victimization of both groups to be relate
d in the same way, and to the same extent, to structural constraints, capab
le guardianship, and delinquent and violent lifestyles.