NCJ Number
95676
Journal
Deviant Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 1-4 Dated: (1984) Pages: 219-304
Date Published
1984
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Neutralization theory was proposed by Sykes and Matza (1957) as a theory of juvenile delinquency. Its major propositions are: (1) Delinquents maintain moral commitment to conventional norms, and (2) the ability to neutralize moral commitment facilitates juvenile delinquency.
Abstract
The present research attempts to evaluate neutralization theory for predicting variation in self-reported expected illegal behavior in a random sample of 350 adults. Data analysis indicates the (1) neutralization is conceptually and empirically distinct from moral commitment, and (2) the interaction between moral commitment and neutralization significantly explains expected involvement in future deviance. (Publisher abstract)