Delinquent problem-solving: An interpretive framework for criminological theory and research

A sizable body of evidence suggests that much delinquency can be interprete d as a form of problem-solving behavior in response to the pressures of ado lescence. Moreover certain data indicate that delinquent responses are ofte n experienced by the offender as a reasonably effective means of short-term coping. Thus, in contrast to pathological accounts, it may be legitimate t o interpret much delinquency as a form of self-regulation. This article org anizes the extant delinquency literature within a problem-solving framework , shows how a problem-solving perspective can shed additional light on the nature of adolescence-limited delinquency, and offers a number of novel res earch hypotheses to guide future research.