Community Violence and Code of the Streets: A Person-Centered Examination of General Strain Theory

ABSTRACT

Anderson’s code of the streets (COS) model outlines one response to community violence exposure (CVE) in which individuals regard violence as an effective means to maintain respect and reduce victimization. Previous research suggests CVE, negative emotionality, and low social support may relate to the acceptability of violence. In a sample of 694 emerging adult undergraduate students (18–25 years, M_age = 20.72, SD = 1.85; 81.0% female; 57.1% White), the current study utilized latent profile analysis to derive profiles from CVE (i.e., direct, witnessing, hearing about), anger, and social support (friend, family). The relationships between these profiles and COS endorsement were then examined. A 4 class model emerged as the best fit: High CVE (5.0%), Low Support (16.7%), Moderate CVE and High Support (23.9%) and Low CVE (54.4%). Profiles significantly differed in relation to COS, with High CVE participants reporting the highest COS endorsement. The Low Support and the Moderate CVE and High Support participants reported moderate COS beliefs. The Low CVE participants endorsed the lowest levels of COS. Results showcase the importance of intervention efforts to bolster social support and reduce problematic anger, and prevention efforts aimed at decreasing CVE, which may reduce positive violence norms.

KEYWORDS:

• Victimization
• emerging adulthood
• latent profile analysis
• violence norms
• college student

Acknowledgments

We thank the participants who made this research possible, as well as the graduate and undergraduate research assistants who assisted with data collection and management.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [Howell], upon reasonable request.