The Relationship Between Delinquent Behavior, Adolescent-Parent Relationships, and Intergenerational Cycles of Crime

The present study examines the risky and delinquent behavior of juvenile detainees, the quality of their relationships with their parents, and their history of parental incarceration. Participants(N = 32) were recruited from the Merrimac Juvenile Detention Center and completed a survey-based interview including the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, the Risky Behavior Protocol, and questions about history of parental incarceration. Results indicate that there are no significant relations between delinquency and history of parental incarceration, however, there were significant correlations indicating that less delinquency was associated with higher father-child relationship quality