Sex, dating, and delinquency

About This Book

"Christopher Kierkus examines the links between different types of opposite sex relationships and the development of delinquency. His hypothesis is that early dating and sexual activity should lead to delinquent behavior, particularly for young girls. The analysis partially confirmed the hypothesis: engaging in early sex was strongly criminogenic for young men, while "hanging out" in mixed sex peer groups was troubling for young women. Opposite sex relationships appear to lead to delinquency primarily because they expose young teens to increased levels of peer deviance (as suggested by the majority of developmental criminological theories). However, the pattern of results is complex, and requires in-depth consideration to be fully appreciated."--BOOK JACKET.