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Racial differences in legal socialization models across adolescence and emerging adulthood
Lindsey M Cole1, Elizabeth A Moschella-Smith2, Paul J Hennigan3
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington.
Law and Human Behavior
|March 17, 2023
Summary
Legal socialization processes differ significantly between White and non-White adolescents. These developmental pathways change throughout adolescence, impacting views of the legal system.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminology
Background:
- Adolescents from different racial backgrounds report varied experiences with the legal system, influencing their perceptions of legal authorities.
- Existing research often assumes a universal model of legal socialization, overlooking potential racial disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial differences in the integrated legal socialization model across early, middle, and late adolescence.
- To examine how legal socialization processes evolve developmentally and vary by race.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from two longitudinal studies encompassing young, middle, and late adolescent/emerging adult participants.
- Analyzed racial differences in legal socialization models using statistical methods.
Main Results:
- Study 1 revealed distinct legal socialization models for young White and non-White adolescents, with normative status predicting rule-violating behavior only for White participants.
- Study 2 indicated that legal and moral reasoning became significant for both groups in midadolescence, with enforcement status predicting rule-violating behavior for non-White youth and normative status for White youth.
- In late adolescence, differences shifted towards the relationship between reasoning and legal attitudes.
Conclusions:
- Legal socialization is a dynamic developmental process that unfolds differently across racial groups throughout adolescence.
- Findings underscore the need for race-specific considerations in understanding adolescent legal socialization and attitudes toward the legal system.
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