THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF DELINQUENT CONDUCT

Abstract

Findings from two studies are presented on degree of group involvement in delinquency among young people. The first study indicates that among boys, although there is wide variation in the degree to which particular types of offence are committed alone or in the company of others, there is no general category of offence that is predominantly solitary. Moreover, we could identify no individuals who always offended alone. The second study compared adolescent boys and girls and indicated that girls are if anything even more likely than boys to commit any offences in the company of others. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the role of the group context in delinquency.