GENDER, SELF-CONTROL, AND CRIME

This article assesses empirically whether Gottfredson and Hirschi's '' general theory'' can account for the ''gender gap '' in crime and, whe n rival theories are included in the analysis, can explain criminal be havior for both males and females. Based on a sample of 555 adults, th e results indicate that the relationship of gender to crime becomes no nsignificant when self-control is introduced into the analysis. Furthe r when males and females are analyzed separately, self-control is rela ted, albeit differently, to males' and females' criminal involvement. These results suggest that Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory sh ould be incorporated into future empirical assessments of gender and c rime.