title: Neighborhood disorder, individual protective factors, and the risk of adolescent delinquency.
abstract: Traditionally, violent and delinquent behaviors have been addressed by the criminal justice system, with the focus being secondary and tertiary interventions. During the last decade, the focus on violence as a public health issue has increased. The purpose of this research was to examine how individual protective factors for adolescent delinquency varied according to neighborhood quality. The researcher conducted a secondary data analysis, using data from the National Youth Survey A total of 1,621 adolescents comprised the sample. The majority of the respondents participated in some type of delinquent behavior, with more Blacks reporting participation in violent behaviors. There was a positive relationship between academic history and no participation in delinquent behavior. The regression model for violent delinquency accounted for 10% of the variance in the disordered neighborhoods. Primary prevention efforts, commonly used by public health nurses, should be aimed at eliminating risk factors such as those found in disordered neighborhoods.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Rd., St. Louis, MO 63121, USA. calvert@umsl.edu
authors.forename: Wilma J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Calvert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009739:Nursing Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data