An Exploration of Employment-Related Personal Projects Undertaken by Women on Probation and Parole

This qualitative research investigates the extent to which 401 women under supervision identify employment-related personal projects (i.e., actions taken to achieve abstract goals) as a way to make their lives better. Psychological theory about personal projects and feminist pathways theory guided the analysis. Findings reveal how project meaningfulness, self-efficacy, and social support to carry out the project affect well-being. Structural barriers, disability, and transportation issues were also identified. Findings suggest that many women pursue and benefit from employment-related projects. Correctional agents can assist women by helping them choose meaningful projects and providing information, resources, and social support.

A Longitudinal Test of a Feminist Pathways Model Among Black Youth: Incorporating Racial Discrimination and School Difficulties

This study addresses important gaps in previous quantitative tests of feminist pathways theory by utilizing longitudinal data from Black men and women and by incorporating racial discrimination and school difficulties. We examine early physical abuse, sexual abuse, and racial discrimination as risks for criminal behavior and psychological distress, school difficulties, and substance use as links between early trauma and young adulthood crime. Consistent with previous studies, early abusive experiences were more salient for Black women than men, but racial discrimination was meaningful for both women and men. Moreover, the connections among mediators differed. Policy implications are offered.

Accumulated Disadvantage over the Lower Secondary School Years in Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland

Accumulated disadvantage (AD) is conceptualised here as an agglomeration of unfavourable or prejudicial conditions which in adolescence may compromise the progress to further education or future life chances. There are several theories on AD, suggesting, e.g., (1) an increase of AD by age and (2) trajectories (previous disadvantage predicts later disadvantage). Social pathways theory suggests that (3) a third factor (e.g., socioeconomic position, SEP) mediates or moderates the association between early and later disadvantage, while other theories imply (4) polarisation (a strengthening association between AD and SEP by age) or (5) equalisation (a weakening of association between AD and SEP). We apply these theories to longitudinal data of 7th graders (13 years, N = 5742), followed until the end of the 9th grade. Five dimensions of disadvantage were health (poor self-rated health), social behaviour (poor prosocial behaviour), normative (conduct disorders), educational (poor academic achievement), and economic (parental unemployment). The results show that the prevalence of AD increased over the follow-up as most indicators of disadvantage elevated. AD at the 7th grade predicted later AD, as did the SEP of the students. Moderation of AD by SEP was also observed. The study corroborates with hypotheses on increase of AD, trajectory, and social pathways but no signs of polarisation or equalisation were observed.

Beyond Peer Influence and Selection: A Gendered Pathways Analysis of Social Environmental Predictors of Change in Child and Peer Delinquency

The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal closeness and participation in unstructured routine activities differentially predicted change in child and peer delinquency for female and male youth above and beyond the effects of peer influence and selection. Participants were 3,370 (1,759 boys, 1,611 girls) members of the Fragile Families and Child Welfare Study. When regression analyses were performed on boys and girls separately, unstructured routine activities effectively predicted a rise in child and peer delinquency in boys and maternal closeness successfully predicted a drop in child and peer delinquency in girls, findings consistent with gendered pathways theory.

18. Integrated theories of crime

This chapter examines theories that integrate the main concepts and arguments from existing theories and challenge their position as the hegemonic theoretical explanations of crime. It begins by placing integrated theories of crime in the context of the historical development of criminological theories. It then considers integrated positivist theories of crime in explanatory and practical terms, focusing on socio-biological theories and social control theories. It also discusses evolving integrated explanations of crime as well as integrated risk factor theories, including artefactual risk factor theories. Finally, it looks at the Edinburgh integrated pathways theory, which provides an holistic explanation of youth crime, along with constructivist pathways risk factor theories and enhanced pathways risk factor theories as explanations of crime.

A Direct Test of Pathways Theory

Although qualitative research has informed Pathways Theory for decades, there are few quantitative studies that have explored this theory. This study utilizes a path analytic approach with measures of gender-responsive needs collected from 163 male and 103 female pretrial defendants. Results indicate the presence of a pathway to pretrial failure that includes childhood abuse, historical indicators of mental illness, and substance abuse for women only. The implications of this study are likely to inform the current practice of correctional risk/needs assessments and case planning, and to aid the development of more comprehensive and effective programs and interventions for justice-involved women.