An Examination of the Criminological Consequences and Correlates of Remorselessness During Adolescence

Abstract

Warr recently proposed that remorselessness may offer a useful explanation for understanding persistence and desistance from criminal offending. While early empirical evidence supports this framework, not only is replication needed but there is also a need to consider potential determinants of remorselessness. Using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examine the extent to which remorselessness relates to self-reported violence and aggression as well as several potential correlates of remorselessness. Our findings show that remorselessness during adolescence is associated with a higher likelihood of both self-reported violence and aggression even after controlling for self-control, peer violence, parenting, prior violence, and several other covariates. We also find that males and persons who associate with violent peers are more likely to evince higher remorselessness, while individuals exposed to higher quality parenting evince lower remorselessness. Implications of our findings are discussed.