Explaining Adolescent Offending Variety in Sweden by Parental Country of Birth: A Test of Situational Action Theory

Sammanfattning: The main aim of this study is to explain adolescent offending variety by their parental country of birth. In doing so, the independent effect size and proportion of variance of two core elements of Situational Action Theory (SAT) – propensity and lifestyle risk – on offending variety are examined by immigrant background and gender. Although previous studies produced plenty of support to key assumption of SAT, no study so far measured offending variety as dependent variable. Analyses are based on self-reported data collected for Malmö Individual and Neighborhood Development Study (MINDS) during 2011-12, when the adolescent attained the age between 16 and 17. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression is run to examine the magnitude of effect and proportion of variance. Strong relation of offending variety separately with propensity and lifestyle risk was identified. Contrary to current scholarship on immigrant crime in Sweden, adolescent with immigrant parents are found at no more risk to engage in self-reported delinquency than the natives. Gender difference remains as a strong predictor of offending variety, especially for the immigrant group. This research reveals similarities in magnitude of effects of criminal propensity and lifestyle risks on offending variety, regardless of adolescents’ parental country of birth. Yet, propensity is a stronger predictor for delinquency variety than the lifestyle risks. This confirms applicability of the core elements of SAT, regardless of adolescents’ parental country of birth.