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Cited by 124Crime Patterns and InterventionsPolicing Practices and PerceptionsCriminal Justice and Penology

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 64 of the 66 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Social and Developmental Antecedents of Legal Cynicism

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Nivette, Amy E., Eisner, Manuel, Malti, Tina, Ribeaud, Denis·2015·Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
DOI 10.1177/0022427814557038
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Abstract

Objectives: This study explores the social and developmental antecedents of legal cynicism. This study comprises a range of indicators organized into four domains—bonds to institutions, predispositions, experiences, and delinquent involvement—that bear on theoretically plausible mechanisms involved in the development of legal cynicism. Methods: This study examines four pathways to legal cynicism using data from two waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development of Children and Youths ( N = 1,226). Ordinary least squares (OLS) procedures are used to regress legal cynicism at t 2 (age 15) on social and psychological characteristics measured at t 1 (age 13), and retrospective variables measured at t 2 . Baseline legal cynicism was included as a covariate in all models. Results: The results show that self-reported delinquency is the strongest predictor of legal cynicism. There is also evidence that alienation from society, negative experiences with police, and association with deviant peers can foster legal cynicism. Conclusions: This study shows that legal cynicism is to a small extent the result of alienation from social institutions and negative experiences with the police. To a much larger degree, legal cynicism seems to represent a cognitive neutralization technique used to justify one’s previous self-reported delinquency.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0022427814557038

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Show all 66 references

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Bottoms Anthony, 2012, The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 102, 119
  2. Dunn Judy, 2005, Handbook of Moral Development, 331
  3. Helwig Charles C., Turiel Elliot. 2004. “Children’s Social and Moral Reasoning.” In Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development, edited by Smith P. K., Hart C. H. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing. Retrieved May 13, 2013 (http://www.blackwellreference.com/subscriber/tocnode.html?id=g9780631217534_chunk_g978063121753432).
  4. Piquero Alex R., 2005, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 96, 267
  5. Ribeaud Denis, 2010, International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 4, 298
  6. StataCorp, 2011, Stata Statistical Software: Release 12
  7. Tyler Tom R., 2009, Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, 7, 307

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Metadata

Authors
Nivette, A. E., Eisner, M., Malti, T., & Ribeaud, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Nivette, Amy E.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2014-11-19
Volume
52
Issue
2
Pages
270-298
ISSN
  • 0022-4278 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-731X
DOI
10.1177/0022427814557038
OpenAlex
W2091629214
Cited by
124
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5
FWCI
22.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Policing Practices and Perceptions
  • Social Sciences › Law › Criminal Justice and Penology
Keywords
legal cynicism, juvenile delinquency, deviant peer affiliation, neutralization techniques, social development (developmental psychology)

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