Developing Criminal Propensity? Modeling Developmental Effects of the Code of the Street and Low Self-Control Over Time

Abstract

The code of the street and low self-control are prominent theories of crime. However, there is no research that examines if these criminogenic dispositions inform each other over time. We utilize the G.R.E.A.T. data to analyze the development of street code adherence and low selfcontrol longitudinally. We find a portion of the stability associated with street code adherence and low self-control to be a product of measurement, as evidenced by correlating error terms across waves. Additionally, we find low self-control to be related to increases in street code adherence especially in later waves and, to a lesser extent, we show effects of street code adherence on subsequent levels of low selfcontrol. We also discuss results from analyses split by race, gender, and neighborhood type. We discuss the theoretical implications of our findings and argue for the development and utility of a broad measure of criminal propensity.