Criminal behavior, Prediction of

Stepparents commit filicide more often than do genetic parents. In 1994, using
Canadian and British national databases, Daly and Wilson provided evidence that there
are motivational differences that may affect the methods by which stepparents and
genetic parents kill their children, and that stepfathers were more likely than genetic
fathers to commit filicide by methods of beating and bludgeoning, revealing greater
resentment and bitterness toward their charges. Genetic fathers were more likely to kill
their children by asphyxiation or shooting, perhaps to ensure a less painful and quicker
death. In 2004, Weekes-Shackelford and Shackelford, using a United States national
database, replicated the findings of Daly and Wilson (1994) for stepfathers and genetic
fathers. I sought to replicate the findings of Daly and Wilson (1994), and WeekesShackelford
and Shackelford (2004) using a United States county-level database for
Broward County, Florida that included case-level information for 89 filicides. Prediction 1, that the percentage of filicides committed by beating or bludgeoning would be greater
for stepparents than for genetic parents, was supported. Prediction 2, that the percentage
of filicides committed by beating or bludgeoning would be greater for stepfathers than for
genetic fathers, was in the predicted direction but was not significant. Discussion
addresses step parental psychology in view of the current research, the limitations of the
current study, and future research directions for this topic.

In A General Theory Of Crime Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) suggest that "low self-control" is an enduring individual characteristic that is the product of inadequate child-rearing. Sampson and Laub's (1993) Crime In the Making: Pathways and Turning Points Through Life somewhat supports this contention. However, the latter authors also suggest that later life experiences might change the direction of the life path (and self-control). This thesis examines whether adequate child-rearing is the key causal determinant of low self-control in later life. It further tests whether later life-course transitions might alter and/or impact low self-control. The results suggest that the impact of early child-hood experiences continue to have an influence on self-control in later life. However, they also suggest that later life-course events (or transitions) can alter the proposed stability of such control. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Theories of criminal behavior have been tested individually and in integrated models incorporating multiple theories. Using data from the National Youth Survey Wave VII (1987), an integrated model incorporating traditional strain, differential association, and control theories is tested. Results show that each theory alone is a significant predictor of criminal behavior. Also, the integrated model enhances explanatory power of criminal behavior, over that of each individual theory. General strain theory (GST) variables are then added into the integrated model. In fact, this thesis is the first study, using young adults, that tests for the effects of multiple GST variables on actual property and violent crime commission, while controlling for differential association, social control, and traditional strain. Results show that inclusion of GST not only increases the model's predictive utility for understanding criminal behavior, but also that GST is the best predictor of violent crime among the several theories considered.