Delinquent Peers and Delinquency: Findings From a Longitudinal Study of Youth

Although the relationship between delinquency and deviant peers has long been an important topic in criminology, there remain unresolved issues including theoretical incongruences and a lack of rigorous empirical studies examining the interplay between the two. Acknowledging this gap in the literature, the primary purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic interrelationship between delinquency and delinquent peers over time. Using five waves of a Korean adolescent sample, we employ two methodologies with different benefits: group-based trajectory models and cross-lagged dynamic panel data models. Results show that heterogeneous developmental patterns of delinquency and peer delinquency are closely related and suggest reciprocal interactions between delinquent peers and delinquency. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.