Family and Religious Characteristics' Influence on Delinquency Trajectories from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

This study takes a life-course approach to examine whether family, and religious characteristics influence individual-level delinquency, trajectories from early adolescence through young adulthood. Based oil data from the NLSY79, results suggest that residing with two parents deters youths from becoming delinquent and that supportive parenting practices reduce their likelihood of becoming involved in delinquent behavior early in adolescence. There is also evidence that family, and religion interact to predict delinquency trajectories. Religion enhances the effect of parental affection in deterring delinquent behavior and mitigates the increased risk of high levels of delinquent behavior among youths in single-parent families. Moreover the findings indicate that delinquency trajectories are not immutable; family transitions are associated with increases in delinquency, bill religious participation throughout adolescence and marriage are associated with declines in delinquent behavior Overall, results suggest that family and religious characteristics continually influence the event to which youths commit delinquent acts.