Correlates Associated with Escalation of Delinquent Behavior in Incarcerated Youths‪.‬

The majority of youths in the United States engage in some type of delinquency before advancing to late adolescence or their adult years (Maguin et al., 1995; Williams, Ayers, Van Dorn, & Arthur, in press; Williams & Van Dorn, 1999). Various studies have examined delinquency and violence focusing on individual attributes, family characteristics, school achievements, peer relationships, and community environment (Farrington, 1994; Hawkins et al., 1998). However, studies examining escalation from nonviolent offending to violent offending have been less prevalent (Ayers et al., 1999; Loeber, Stouthamer-Loeber, Van Kammen, & Farrington, 1991). Earlier research investigating the trajectory of adolescent involvement in criminal behavior (for example, initiation, escalation, and desistance) found that early initiation and conviction for delinquent acts increases the risk for chronic offending through adolescence and into adulthood (Ayers et al., 1999; Farrington, Loeber, & Van Kammen, 1990; Loeber et al., 1991). Loeber and colleagues (1991) found that youths who commit acts of major delinquency are more likely to progress to violent offending compared with those who begin and continue committing minor delinquency. The study discussed in this article investigated correlates related to escalation from nonviolent offending to violent offending.