Social capital, individual disorders and property offences

This paper examines the relevance to delinquency of social capital that is directly embedded in the relationships that teenagers have with peers, parents, and those in positions of authority and those indirect social capital that teenagers may benefit due their parentsʹ relations with their school or friends. The analysis employs data from the Canadian National Survey of Children. The study shows that personality traits are the most important predictors of property offences. Nevertheless, we also show the importance of social relationships embedded directly in individuals themselves and these are more important than those embedded indirectly through their family. Well connected youth with good friends and quality teachers commit significantly less property offences when controlling for personality traits and parentsʹ social capital.