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Delinquency Reinforcement and Balance: Is Exposure to Delinquent Peers Always Risky?

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  • James Charles Joni S.
  • Chih Yao-Yu

    (Department of Finance & Economics, McCoy College of Business Administration, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA)

Abstract

This study investigates whether exposure to delinquent peers increases the risk of committing delinquent acts. To incorporate a balance argument in a conventional setting, we develop an adjusted exposure level to study an individual’s delinquency choice. We show this choice is affected by not only how many delinquent peers an individual directly and indirectly connects with, but also who those peers are. Specifically, exposure to delinquent peers is not universally risky, and could even be protective if the average exposure level of the individual’s delinquent peers is significantly less than her own exposure level. In addition, we show that individuals with high exposure levels are more sensitive to structural changes in the delinquent network. Therefore, a policy aiming to isolate key players in the network could be more cost-effective than strengthening the law-enforcement system.

Suggested Citation

  • James Charles Joni S. & Chih Yao-Yu, 2016. "Delinquency Reinforcement and Balance: Is Exposure to Delinquent Peers Always Risky?," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 16(4), pages 1-30, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:16:y:2016:i:4:p:30:n:11
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2015-0224
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeffrey R. Kling & Jens Ludwig & Lawrence F. Katz, 2005. "Neighborhood Effects on Crime for Female and Male Youth: Evidence from a Randomized Housing Voucher Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(1), pages 87-130.
    2. Antoni Calvó-Armengol & Yves Zenou, 2004. "Social Networks And Crime Decisions: The Role Of Social Structure In Facilitating Delinquent Behavior," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 45(3), pages 939-958, August.
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    4. Sah, Raaj K, 1991. "Social Osmosis and Patterns of Crime," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(6), pages 1272-1295, December.
    5. Brian A. Jacob & Lars Lefgren, 2003. "Are Idle Hands the Devil's Workshop? Incapacitation, Concentration, and Juvenile Crime," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1560-1577, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economics of crime; balance argument; delinquent network; relative risk;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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