Self-Reported Delinquency as an Evaluation Measure

Abstract

The present research investigates the relative efficacy of several of the more prominent weighting schemes frequently noted in the delinquency literature. This article presents the initial methodology involved in the construction of a self-report instrument of delinquent behavior as well as the comparison of ten frequency and seriousness weighting schemes. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test-retest methodology. Validity was assessed through multitrait-multimethod analysis as well as by the relationship of the self-report data to official court and police data sets. Results reveal that the inclusion of weighting schemes did not strengthen the instrument or add to its applicability, suggesting that the more concise and efficient method of single categorical weights is a sufficiently powerful method of assessing self-reported estimates of delinquent behavior.