The Friends` Delinquent Behavior—Denver Youth Survey is a survey that was conducted by the Denver Police Department in order to better understand the behaviors of friends that may be associated with delinquent behavior. The survey was conducted by randomly selecting a sample of 1,890 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24 living in Denver, Colorado. The survey asked questions about the friends of the participants, such as how often they engage in delinquent behavior, how much influence they have on the participant’s decisions, and how much time they spend with the participant. The survey also asked questions about the participants’ own delinquent behavior, such as whether they had ever been arrested, how often they engage in delinquent behavior, and how often they engage in risky behaviors. The survey results showed that having friends who engage in delinquent behavior is associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in delinquent behavior oneself. The results also showed that having friends who are influential and spend a lot of time with the participant is associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in delinquent behavior. The survey also showed that having friends who engage in risky behaviors is associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors oneself. The survey results provide important information for understanding the relationships between friends and delinquent behavior and can be used to inform prevention and intervention efforts.
During the last year how many of your friends have …
1. Purposely damaged or destroyed property that did not belong to them?
2. Hit or threatened to hit someone?
3. Used alcohol?
4. Sold drugs?
5. Gotten drunk once in a while?
6. Carried a knife or a gun?
7. Got into a physical fight?
8. Been hurt in a fight?
Delinquency
This instrument can be found on pages 212-213 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf
· All of them = 4
· Most of them = 3
· Some of them = 2
· Very few of them = 1
· None of them = 0
Values are summed and divided by the total number of items (8) for each respondent. Intended range is 0-4‚ with a higher score indicating greater association with (or exposure to) delinquent behavior by closefriends.
Institute of Behavioral Sciences. Youth Interview Schedule: Denver Youth Survey. Boulder‚ CO:University of Colorado‚ 1987.