Gender, Adolescent Lifestyles, and Violent Victimization: Implications for Routine Activity Theory

• Published in: Victims & offenders Vol. 5; no. 4; pp. 303 - 328
• Main Authors: Henson, Billy, Wilcox, Pamela, Reyns, Bradford W., Cullen, Francis T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 01.10.2010; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Activity theory; adolescent victimization; Adolescents; Gender; Juvenile delinquency; Lifestyle; Lifestyles; Males; Routine activities; Routine activity theory; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Sex; Teenagers; Victimization; Victims; Violent adolescents; Violent crime
• ISSN: 1556-4886; 1556-4991
• DOI: 10.1080/15564886.2010.509651

Using data from 541 high school students, we examine the associations between structured and unstructured routine activities and adolescent violent victimization in light of gender's influence. In particular, we focused on whether such activity-victimization relationships explained any effect of gender or, in contrast, were perhaps contingent upon gender. The results showed that gender's effect on both minor and serious victimization was substantially mediated by one measured lifestyle, in particular the delinquent lifestyle. In addition, there was only modest evidence of gender moderating the effects of certain lifestyles on victimization; the effects of most activities were consistent across male and female subjects. Implications of our findings for a contemporary age-graded and gendered routine activity theory are discussed.