Delinquency and class: A test of the proximity principle

Criminologists have not found consistent evidence that class is related to crime. This study attempts to clarify the class-crime relationship by using a framework drawn from the social psychology literature. We test the proximity principle, which proposes that measures of social class which shape youths' everyday experiences will be the aspects of social class which influence their personality and behavior. Results point to the youths' expected educational attainment as one proximate factor. Educational expectations mediate the effect of social class on involvement in violent offending and interact with measures of social class to affect involvement in theft.

This research was supported in part by the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University.

This research was supported in part by the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University.

Notes

This research was supported in part by the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University.