Citation

Skarðhamar T. Eur. J. Criminol. 2009; 6(3): 203-223.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, European Society of Criminology, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1477370809102165

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between family dissolution and children's crimes. The study uses a total population sample of a Norwegian birth cohort born in 1982 ( N = 49,975) and follows them through the crime statistics from ages 10 to 22 years, applying growth curve modelling. Both married and cohabiting parents are considered. There is a large and significant effect from family dissolution that persists after controlling for important economic confounders, even though these also show a high and significant effect. This suggests that, although some of the effect of parental break-up is explained by socioeconomic conditions, there also seems to be an independent and strong effect of family dissolution.