There is an unresolved issue concerning the relative efficacy of parental direct controls (parental discipline and the administration of punishments) and indirect controls (parental controls due to affective bonds between children and parents) in curtailing delinquency. Using LISREL which allows the examination of the equality of causal relationships across multiple groups, it was found that direct controls are more effective for delinquents than for nondelinquents, while indirect controls are equally effective for both delinquents and nondelinquents. Future criminological research and criminal justice practices need to acknowledge that people are heterogeneous in their sensitiveness to direct controls. 8 notes, 3 tables, and 24 references