Neighborhood violent crime and juvenile delinquency: Longitudinal mediation effect of aggression

This study aims to examine the longitudinal role of level of neighborhood violent crime as a local risk factor on adolescents' aggression and their delinquency. Study analyses are based on 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th (hereafter each 'T1', 'T2', 'T3', 'T4) survey data waves from 1,829 (954 males and 875 females) in the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey 2010 (KCYPS), a national representative adolescents panel survey. We utilized a latent growth model (LGM) of aggression using neighborhood violent crime level at T1 as a predictor and juvenile delinquency at T4 as an outcome predicted by the LGM of aggression. Main results of this study are as follows; First, participants living in high-violent crime neighborhood showed higher aggression from T1 to T4, and delinquency at T4. Second, high-violent crime neighborhood at T1 predicted aggression at T1 which mediated the association between high-violent crime neighborhood at T1 and juvenile delinquency at T4. The results suggest level of neighborhood violent crime may affect baseline of individual aggression and later delinquency indirectly. Policies aiming at dealing and reducing with aggression in early-adolescence are essential strategies to reduce later juvenile delinquency, especially in neighborhood with high levels of violent crime.