Recent Research Articles
Pyrooz, David C., Melde, Chris, Coffman, Donna L., and Ryan C. Meldrum. In Press. Selection, stability, and spuriousness: Testing Gottfredson and Hirschi's propositions to reinterpret street gangs in self-control perspective. Criminology.
Abstract: Overlooked in the extensive literature on self‐control theory are propositions with respect to street gangs. In Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) perspective, gangs are loose confederations of youth with low self‐control and their criminological relevance is attributable to “politics and romance” rather than to rigorous empirical research. Prior research is limited by the use of cross‐sectional data, which takes on added importance in light of recent findings on self‐control instability. Using six waves of panel data from a large sample of youth, we test three propositions: gang membership is endogenous to self‐control (selection), self‐control is unrelated to gang membership (stability), and self‐control confounds the well‐established link between gang membership and delinquency (spuriousness). The main findings from stabilized inverse propensity‐weighted multilevel structural equation models are that 1) self‐control is one, but not the only, source of selection into gangs; 2) levels of self‐control worsen during active periods of gang membership; and 3) gang membership maintains a direct association with delinquency, as well as an indirect association operating through self‐control. The empirical evidence does not support reinterpreting gangs in self‐control perspective, instead pointing to the continued relevance of the group context to criminology.
Abstract: Overlooked in the extensive literature on self‐control theory are propositions with respect to street gangs. In Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990) perspective, gangs are loose confederations of youth with low self‐control and their criminological relevance is attributable to “politics and romance” rather than to rigorous empirical research. Prior research is limited by the use of cross‐sectional data, which takes on added importance in light of recent findings on self‐control instability. Using six waves of panel data from a large sample of youth, we test three propositions: gang membership is endogenous to self‐control (selection), self‐control is unrelated to gang membership (stability), and self‐control confounds the well‐established link between gang membership and delinquency (spuriousness). The main findings from stabilized inverse propensity‐weighted multilevel structural equation models are that 1) self‐control is one, but not the only, source of selection into gangs; 2) levels of self‐control worsen during active periods of gang membership; and 3) gang membership maintains a direct association with delinquency, as well as an indirect association operating through self‐control. The empirical evidence does not support reinterpreting gangs in self‐control perspective, instead pointing to the continued relevance of the group context to criminology.
Meldrum, Ryan C., Patchin, Justin W., Young, Jacob T.N., and Sameer Hinduja. In Press. Bullying victimization, negative emotions, and digital self-harm: Testing a theoretical model of indirect effects. Deviant Behavior.
Abstract: Research on digital self-harm – the anonymous or pseudonymous posting of hurtful or negative information about oneself on the internet and social media platforms – is in the early stages of development. While scholars have started to focus on the correlates of this behavior, there remains a need to anchor the study of digital self-harm within established theoretical frameworks. Herein, we draw on Agnew’s general strain theory to examine whether negative emotions mediate the association between bullying victimization and digital self-harm. Using data collected from adolescents participating in the 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (N = 9,469; M grade level = 8.78; 47% Male; 32% White, non-Hispanic), a strong, positive association between bullying victimization and digital self-harm is observed, as well as an indirect association operating through negative emotions. Discussion centers on the implications of the findings for theory and policy, as well as future directions for research on digital self-harm.
Abstract: Research on digital self-harm – the anonymous or pseudonymous posting of hurtful or negative information about oneself on the internet and social media platforms – is in the early stages of development. While scholars have started to focus on the correlates of this behavior, there remains a need to anchor the study of digital self-harm within established theoretical frameworks. Herein, we draw on Agnew’s general strain theory to examine whether negative emotions mediate the association between bullying victimization and digital self-harm. Using data collected from adolescents participating in the 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (N = 9,469; M grade level = 8.78; 47% Male; 32% White, non-Hispanic), a strong, positive association between bullying victimization and digital self-harm is observed, as well as an indirect association operating through negative emotions. Discussion centers on the implications of the findings for theory and policy, as well as future directions for research on digital self-harm.
Meldrum, Ryan C., Stemen, Don, and Besiki L. Kutateladze. In Press. Progressive and traditional orientations to prosecution: An empirical assessment in four prosecutorial offices. Criminal Justice and Behavior.
Abstract: In recent years, accounts of the so-called progressive prosecutor have been juxtaposed against the more traditional, law-and-order prosecutor in the United States. Yet, little effort has been made to empirically investigate these orientations among prosecutors. In this multijurisdictional study, prosecutors were asked to rate the importance of a variety of prosecutorial priorities. A factor analysis of these ratings indicates the existence of two distinct orientations toward prosecution. The first reflects a progressive orientation emphasizing social justice priorities, and the second reflects a traditional orientation emphasizing priorities pertaining to formal aspects of case processing. Results also indicate that scoring higher on the progressive orientation is associated with holding less punitive attitudes toward criminal defendants, whereas scoring higher on the traditional orientation is associated with holding more punitive attitudes. Discussion centers on the implications of the findings for recent calls regarding the reform of the criminal justice system.
Abstract: In recent years, accounts of the so-called progressive prosecutor have been juxtaposed against the more traditional, law-and-order prosecutor in the United States. Yet, little effort has been made to empirically investigate these orientations among prosecutors. In this multijurisdictional study, prosecutors were asked to rate the importance of a variety of prosecutorial priorities. A factor analysis of these ratings indicates the existence of two distinct orientations toward prosecution. The first reflects a progressive orientation emphasizing social justice priorities, and the second reflects a traditional orientation emphasizing priorities pertaining to formal aspects of case processing. Results also indicate that scoring higher on the progressive orientation is associated with holding less punitive attitudes toward criminal defendants, whereas scoring higher on the traditional orientation is associated with holding more punitive attitudes. Discussion centers on the implications of the findings for recent calls regarding the reform of the criminal justice system.
Meldrum, Ryan C., Lehmann, Peter S., and Jamie L. Flexon. In Press. Who would 'purge'? Low self-control, psychopathy, and offending in the absence of legal controls. Crime & Delinquency.
Abstract: The assumption that people are inherently self-interested and that legal controls are needed to prevent crime underlies several criminological perspectives. In the current study, this assumption is tested by having a sample of 500 U.S. adults report on the likelihood they would engage in criminal behavior if all crime were legal on one day each year—a scenario depicted in the 2013 film The Purge. Based on the presumption that at least some individuals would “purge,” the extent to which low self-control and psychopathy are associated with the likelihood of purging is also considered. Results indicate that 18% of participants would be likely to purge. In addition, both low self-control and psychopathy are positively associated with the likelihood of purging.
Abstract: The assumption that people are inherently self-interested and that legal controls are needed to prevent crime underlies several criminological perspectives. In the current study, this assumption is tested by having a sample of 500 U.S. adults report on the likelihood they would engage in criminal behavior if all crime were legal on one day each year—a scenario depicted in the 2013 film The Purge. Based on the presumption that at least some individuals would “purge,” the extent to which low self-control and psychopathy are associated with the likelihood of purging is also considered. Results indicate that 18% of participants would be likely to purge. In addition, both low self-control and psychopathy are positively associated with the likelihood of purging.
Meldrum, Ryan C., Jackson, Dylan B., Zgoba, Kristen, and Alexander Testa. 2020. Sleep duration, handgun carrying, and taking a handgun to school: An analysis of a statewide sample of Florida Youth. Sleep Health, 6, 153-158.
Abstract: Objectives: To investigate whether sleep duration is associated with adolescent handgun carrying behaviors. Design: The Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) is a cross-sectional study of adolescents. Setting: The state of Florida. Participants: Middle-school and high-school students (n = 42,182) attending public schools in 2018. Methods: Dichotomous measures of general handgun carrying and taking a handgun to school within the prior 12 months were modeled as dependent variables. Self-reports of hours slept on an average school night were used to construct multiple indicators of sleep duration (ordinal, dichotomous, and hourly dummy variable series) to predict general handgun carrying and taking a handgun to school in logistic regression models when accounting for several covariates. Results: Adjusting for model covariates, youth who reported sleeping four or fewer hours at night had 40% greater odds of general handgun carrying than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Likewise, youth who reported sleeping four or fewer hours at night had 85% greater odds of taking a handgun to school than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Youth who reported sleeping five, six, or seven hours were no more likely to report handgun carrying behaviors than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Conclusions: Among youth in Florida, severe deficits in sleep are associated with general handgun carrying as well as taking a handgun to school. More modest sleep deficits are not associated with these behaviors.
Abstract: Objectives: To investigate whether sleep duration is associated with adolescent handgun carrying behaviors. Design: The Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS) is a cross-sectional study of adolescents. Setting: The state of Florida. Participants: Middle-school and high-school students (n = 42,182) attending public schools in 2018. Methods: Dichotomous measures of general handgun carrying and taking a handgun to school within the prior 12 months were modeled as dependent variables. Self-reports of hours slept on an average school night were used to construct multiple indicators of sleep duration (ordinal, dichotomous, and hourly dummy variable series) to predict general handgun carrying and taking a handgun to school in logistic regression models when accounting for several covariates. Results: Adjusting for model covariates, youth who reported sleeping four or fewer hours at night had 40% greater odds of general handgun carrying than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Likewise, youth who reported sleeping four or fewer hours at night had 85% greater odds of taking a handgun to school than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Youth who reported sleeping five, six, or seven hours were no more likely to report handgun carrying behaviors than youth who reported sleeping eight or more hours. Conclusions: Among youth in Florida, severe deficits in sleep are associated with general handgun carrying as well as taking a handgun to school. More modest sleep deficits are not associated with these behaviors.
Lehmann, Peter S., and Ryan C. Meldrum. In Press. School suspension in Florida: The interactive effects of race, ethnicity, gender, and academic achievement. Justice Quarterly.
Abstract: A vast body of research demonstrates that the consequences of the “criminalization” of school discipline are not racially equitable, and Black and Hispanic students are more likely than White youth to experience exclusionary school punishments. However, limited prior work has examined the factors that might strengthen or weaken racial/ethnic inequalities in school discipline. Theoretically, academic achievement could moderate the effects of race and ethnicity, especially in conjunction with gender, though the expected direction of these interactive relationships is unclear. To explore these issues, the current study makes use of data from the 2018 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (N = 54,611). The analyses reveal that, while Black male youth are the most likely to be suspended, racial/ethnic disparities are greater among females than males. Additionally, racial differences in the likelihood of suspension are more prominent at higher levels of academic achievement, particularly among female students.
Abstract: A vast body of research demonstrates that the consequences of the “criminalization” of school discipline are not racially equitable, and Black and Hispanic students are more likely than White youth to experience exclusionary school punishments. However, limited prior work has examined the factors that might strengthen or weaken racial/ethnic inequalities in school discipline. Theoretically, academic achievement could moderate the effects of race and ethnicity, especially in conjunction with gender, though the expected direction of these interactive relationships is unclear. To explore these issues, the current study makes use of data from the 2018 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (N = 54,611). The analyses reveal that, while Black male youth are the most likely to be suspended, racial/ethnic disparities are greater among females than males. Additionally, racial differences in the likelihood of suspension are more prominent at higher levels of academic achievement, particularly among female students.
Lehmann, Peter S., Meldrum, Ryan C., and Mark A. Greenwald. 2020. Upward departures from structured recommendations in juvenile court dispositions: The intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender. Justice Quarterly, 37 (3), 514-540.
Abstract: Much prior research has examined racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile court interventions, and the evidence suggests that minority youth are sanctioned more harshly than similarly situated White youth. Additionally, scholars have explored the potential negative consequences of juvenile justice contact, and some research indicates that more intensive juvenile court dispositions are associated with increased reoffending, particularly among minority youth. What is unknown, however, is the relevance of race, ethnicity, and gender for these outcomes under a structured disposition guidelines system, which is intended to aid judges’ decision-making and reduce recidivism following justice system intervention. Analysis of youth sanctioned under Florida’s disposition matrix (N = 56,913) shows that Black youth are more likely to receive upward departures from the guideline-recommended sanctions and that the increased likelihood of recidivism resulting from receiving an upward departure is particularly pronounced among minority males. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Abstract: Much prior research has examined racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile court interventions, and the evidence suggests that minority youth are sanctioned more harshly than similarly situated White youth. Additionally, scholars have explored the potential negative consequences of juvenile justice contact, and some research indicates that more intensive juvenile court dispositions are associated with increased reoffending, particularly among minority youth. What is unknown, however, is the relevance of race, ethnicity, and gender for these outcomes under a structured disposition guidelines system, which is intended to aid judges’ decision-making and reduce recidivism following justice system intervention. Analysis of youth sanctioned under Florida’s disposition matrix (N = 56,913) shows that Black youth are more likely to receive upward departures from the guideline-recommended sanctions and that the increased likelihood of recidivism resulting from receiving an upward departure is particularly pronounced among minority males. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Meldrum, Ryan C., Young, Brae Campion, Soor, Sadhika, Hay, Carter, Copp, Jennifer E., Trace, Madison, Smith-Darden, Joanne P., and Poco D. Kernsmith. 2020. Are adverse childhood experiences associated with deficits in self-control? A test among two independent samples of youth. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 47, 166-186.
Abstract: A large body of research links both a lack of self-control and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a variety of negative health and behavior outcomes, including delinquent and criminal behavior. To date, relatively little research considers whether experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is associated with lower self-control. We advance this area of research by first articulating potential mechanisms through which ACEs may impact self-control. We then investigate whether experiencing more ACEs is inversely associated with self-control in separate samples of youth from Michigan and Florida. For both samples, results indicate that experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is negatively associated with self-control. Exploratory analyses also indicate that ACEs reflecting interpersonal maltreatment are more strongly associated with deficits in selfcontrol than ACEs pertaining to aspects of household dysfunction.
Abstract: A large body of research links both a lack of self-control and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a variety of negative health and behavior outcomes, including delinquent and criminal behavior. To date, relatively little research considers whether experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is associated with lower self-control. We advance this area of research by first articulating potential mechanisms through which ACEs may impact self-control. We then investigate whether experiencing more ACEs is inversely associated with self-control in separate samples of youth from Michigan and Florida. For both samples, results indicate that experiencing a greater variety of ACEs is negatively associated with self-control. Exploratory analyses also indicate that ACEs reflecting interpersonal maltreatment are more strongly associated with deficits in selfcontrol than ACEs pertaining to aspects of household dysfunction.
Semenza, Daniel C., Meldrum, Ryan C., Jackson, Dylan B., Vaughn, Michael G., and Alex R. Piquero. 2020. School start times, delinquency, and substance use: A criminological perspective. Crime & Delinquency, 66, 163-193.
Abstract: Research finds a lack of sleep during adolescence is associated with a variety of negative outcomes and suggests that early school start times contribute to this problem. Criminologists have largely overlooked the relevance of school start times for adolescent delinquency and substance use, precluding multidisciplinary collaborations between criminologists and other social and health scientists that might further elucidate emerging policy initiatives. We provide a theoretically informed criminological perspective explicating the mechanisms through which delaying school start times may reduce delinquency and substance use. Two pathways are proposed: one focused on self-control and another on unstructured socializing with peers. After discussing evidence supporting the pathways, this article outlines a research agenda for criminologists to contribute to understudied portions of the model.
Abstract: Research finds a lack of sleep during adolescence is associated with a variety of negative outcomes and suggests that early school start times contribute to this problem. Criminologists have largely overlooked the relevance of school start times for adolescent delinquency and substance use, precluding multidisciplinary collaborations between criminologists and other social and health scientists that might further elucidate emerging policy initiatives. We provide a theoretically informed criminological perspective explicating the mechanisms through which delaying school start times may reduce delinquency and substance use. Two pathways are proposed: one focused on self-control and another on unstructured socializing with peers. After discussing evidence supporting the pathways, this article outlines a research agenda for criminologists to contribute to understudied portions of the model.