Code(s) of the streets: a structural equation model predicting conflict response and crime

Drawing on survey data from 1,418 U.S. males, purposively sampled to be higher than average for offending risk, we examine two sets of criminogenic attitudes, a code of the streets that encourages violence (COS), and unwillingness to engage police (UEP). We treat these variables as indicators of emb...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Hochstetler, Andrew (Author) ; Erickson, Jacob J. (Author) ; Burgason, Kyle (Author) ; Hollis, Joe (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Criminal justice studies
Year: 2025, Volume: 38, Issue: 4, Pages: 377-399
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Police Trust
Code of the Streets
Subculture
Description
Summary:Drawing on survey data from 1,418 U.S. males, purposively sampled to be higher than average for offending risk, we examine two sets of criminogenic attitudes, a code of the streets that encourages violence (COS), and unwillingness to engage police (UEP). We treat these variables as indicators of embeddedness in criminal subculture. We examine exogenous predictors of the attitudes, and instances of conflict escalation and criminal activity as outcomes with structural equation modeling (SEM). Outcome variables, crime and conflict escalation, are correlated in the expected direction. UEP and COS, correlate with outcomes in the expected direction. COS predicted levels of conflict and offending; UEP predicted offending. UEP and COS partially mediated the effects of exogenous variables. Both may be key for understanding crime, with differential effects on the outcome variables; this reflects diversity and complexity of the effects of attitudes potentially acquired in subcultures.
ISSN:1478-6028
DOI:10.1080/1478601X.2025.2571481