Data and Methods

Although earlier studies suggest that criminal victimization and criminal offending are related, the nature of the relationship is ambiguous. The present study investigates the nature of the relationship in a sample of juveniles ages 11–17, addressing three issues:

• How are violent victimization and violent offending related over time? Does prior victimization predict subsequent offending, does prior offending predict subsequent victimization, or do they both predict each other? In particular, is victimization a significant risk factor for subsequent offending?

• What individual-level factors might explain the relationship between victimization and offending? Do the same factors predict both violent victimization and violent offending?

• Does drug use affect the relationship between victimization and offending?

The study focuses on violence among juveniles for three reasons. First, from a policy standpoint, it makes sense to concentrate on the most serious offenses, particularly since less is known about the violent victimization of juveniles than about the violent victimization of adults. Second, because many fewer juveniles engage in violence than in property offending and in minor deviant acts, it would be easier to target interventions at this smaller group. Third, the data source for the analyses in this Bulletin included measures of nonviolent offending but not of nonviolent victimization.

Data Source

The findings reported in this Bulletin are based on statistical analyses of the restricted-access contractual dataset from the first two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (known as the Add Health Study), which is a longitudinal study of a representative national sample of juveniles in grades 7 through 12.¹ The study used a clustered sampling design based on a stratified sample of 80 high schools and 52 paired middle schools.² Students in these 132 schools were asked to complete an in-school questionnaire. In addition, a subsample, stratified by grade and gender, was selected for in-home interviews, which included information about family composition and dynamics, substance use, criminal and delinquent activities, and violent victimization. The in-home interviews, which were conducted in 1995 (year 1) and again in 1996 (year 2), are the basis for the analyses in this Bulletin.

The analyses reflect interview data for 5,003 juveniles: 2,402 males and 2,601 females; 2,768 non-Hispanic white juveniles and 2,235 minority juveniles;³ 1,147 juveniles ages 11–14 and 3,856 ages 15–17 at the time of the second interview. The analyses exclude respondents who did not have complete data for all of the variables included in the analyses, those whose second interview was conducted less than 11 months after their first interview,⁴ and those who were age 18 or older at the time of the second interview.⁵

Analytical Approach

First, the sample is described in terms of the percentages who reported violent victimization, violent offending, and both victimization and offending, in year 1, year 2, and both years; and the links between victimization and offending within each year are summarized. Next, relationships between violent victimization and violent offending over time are examined—i.e., between victimization in year 1 and victimization in year 2, offending in year 1 and victimization in year 2, victimization in year 1 and offending in year 2, and offending in year 1 and offending in year 2—for the sample as a whole and for subgroups based on demographic characteristics (age, gender, and race) and level of physical development. Finally, through multivariate analyses, the effect of drug use on these relationships is investigated, and risk and protective factors associated with victimization and offending are explored.⁶

Measures

The measures of offending and victimization used in the analyses were dichotomous measures based on juveniles’ yes/no responses to multiple items.⁷ Two sets of measures were used, reflecting the two waves of data (i.e., years 1 and 2). The measures of violent offending included five items reflecting serious physical offenses against other persons:

• Got into a serious physical fight.

• Hurt someone badly enough to need bandages or care from a doctor or nurse.

• Used or threatened to use a weapon to get something from someone.

• Shot or stabbed someone.

• Pulled a knife or gun on someone.

The measures of violent victimization included four items reflecting serious physical violence:

• Someone pulled a knife or gun on you.

• You were shot.

• You were cut or stabbed.

• You were jumped.

Juveniles were categorized as offenders if they reported committing any of the listed offenses and as nonoffenders if they reported not committing any of these offenses. Juveniles were similarly categorized as victims or nonvictims, based on whether they reported having any of the listed acts committed against them.

Juveniles were also categorized on the basis of their reports of using any one of the following drugs:

• Marijuana.

• Cocaine.

• Inhalants.

• Other drugs, including LSD, PCP, ecstasy, ice (crystal methamphetamine), heroin, mushrooms, speed (amphetamines), or pills without a doctor’s prescription.

Juveniles were categorized into one of four groups: nonusers (no reported use of any drug at either of the two interviews), desisters (reported use at first interview but not at the second interview), new users (reported use at the second interview but not the first), and consistent users ( reported use at both interviews). Juveniles were similarly categorized on the basis of reported alcohol use.

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Violent Victimization as a Risk Factor for Violent Offending Among Juveniles	OJJDP Bulletin • December 2002