Self-Reported Offending (SRO) - Collateral Follow-up

This measure appears in the following time-points: Collat12, Collat24, Collat36.

Related Construct

Offense History

Description of Measure

The Self-Report of Offense (SRO; Huizinga, Esbensen, & Weihar, 1991) was adapted for this study to measure the adolescent's account of involvement in antisocial and illegal activities. We ask the collateral to report on the subject's behavior using the same set of questions which are asked of the subject. The SRO consists of 24-items which elicit subject involvement in different types of crime. For each endorsed item, a set of follow-up questions are triggered that collect more information regarding the reported offense (e.g., "How many times has X done this in the past year?"). The follow-up items can be used to identify whether the collateral reports that the subject committed the act within the past six months or only prior to that period.

Two of the 24 SRO-items ("in the past year went joyriding" and "in the past year broke into a car to steal") were added to the Pathways research battery after a large number of subjects had completed either baseline or six-month follow-up interviews. The introduction of these items produced a large amount of missing data at these two time points for the collateral data as well, making the calculation of a consistently meaningful score difficult across all available time points. As a result, in January, 2005, the working group decided that all SRO scores would be based on 22-items instead of the full, 24-item measure administered. Thus, although 24 items are administered for the vast proportion of the interviews, the calculation of the SRO score uses only 22 of these items.

Following the standard for reporting in criminology, self-reported offending can be characterized in two basic ways: a variety score (the number of different types of criminal acts in which the person engages) and frequency scores (the total number of unique criminal acts committed, regardless of type). Variety and frequency scores are generally very highly correlated and are often used interchangeably for analyses. The working group, however, decided to consistently report analyses using the variety score, with the option of reporting analyses using frequency scores when the question at hand required such considerations. Variety scores are calculated here as the proportion of endorsed items divided by the number of questions answered. Items that were not asked or for which the subject replied "don't know" are removed from the denominator.

The closer the proportion score is to "1", the greater the variety of offenses the youth has committed. The following variables are generated:

Total Offending Variety - Past year [c#sroprv]; a proportion; the numerator is the number of different types of acts endorsed (over the past year) and the denominator is the number of items for which the collateral gives either a "yes" or "no" answer. That is, all items which the collateral reporter refused to answer, replied "don't know" or was not asked are removed from the denominator. The closer this figure is to "1", the greater the variety of offenses the collateral reported the youth is committing.
Total Offending Variety - past six months [c#sro6]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of acts which were committed in the prior 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the total offending variety - past year.
Total Offending Variety - acts beyond six months [c#sroev]; a proportion in which the numerator is a count of the acts which were committed more than 6 months ago. Excludes acts that were done within the past 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the total offending variety-past year calculation.
Total Offending Variety No Drug - past year [c#srsend]; a proportion score calculated in the same way as the Total Offending Variety Proportion - past year variable, except that the items included in the calculation exclude three drug-related offenses (i.e., over the past year: sold marijuana, sold other illegal drugs, drove while drunk or high). The numerator is the number of acts endorsed and the denominator is the SRO items answered. Both numerator and denominator calculations are made using a set of items that excluded the three drug items.
Total Offending Variety No Drug - past six months [c#sro6nd]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of acts which were committed in the prior six months, excluding the three drug-related offenses. The denominator remains the same as in the total offending variety no drug - past year.
Total Offending Variety No Drug - acts beyond six months [c#sroend]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of acts which were committed more than six months ago, excluding the three drug-related offenses. Excludes acts that were done within the past six months. The denominator remains the same as in the total offending variety no drug - past year calculation.
Frequency of Offending in the past year [c#srofrq]; the sum of the frequencies reported across all 22 acts
Frequency of Offending in the past year - No Drug [c#frqnd]; the sum of the frequencies reported across 19 non-drug items

Two sub-categories of Offending Variety are also computed: Aggressive Offending Variety (e.g., "Been in a fight?") and Income Offending Variety (e.g.,"Used checks or credit cards illegally?"). These are calculated in the same manner as the variety score. That is, each of these scores is a proportion in which the numerator is the number of types of acts endorsed. However, for these scores, the denominator is the number of items asked which are either aggressive offenses (for aggressive offending variety score) or income offenses (for income offending variety score). Three scores can be generated for each of these categories of offending:

Aggressive Offending Variety- Past year score [c#sroagg]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of endorsed acts within this category within the past year, and the denominator is the number of aggressive offenses about which the collateral reporter is questioned. As with the total offending variety scores, for this score, all aggressive offenses for which the collateral reporter replies "don't know", refused to answer, or is not asked are removed from the denominator.). There are a total of 11 offenses included which have been categorized as "aggressive".
Aggressive Offending Variety - past six months [c#agg6]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of aggressive acts which were committed in the prior 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the aggressive offending variety - past year calculation.
Aggressive Offending Variety - acts beyond six months [c#aggev]; a proportion in which the numerator is a count of the acts which were committed more than 6 months ago. Excludes acts that were done within the past 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the aggressive offending variety-past year calculation
Aggressive Offending Variety Frequency - past year [c#aggfrq]
Income Offending Variety - Past year score [c#sroinc]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of endorsed acts within this category within the past year, and the denominator is the number of income offenses about which the youth is questioned. As is the case above, for this score, all income offenses for which the youth replies "don't know", refused to answer, or is not asked are removed from the denominator.). There are a total of 11 offenses included which have been categorized as "income offenses".
Income Offending Variety - past six months [c#inc6]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of income offenses which were committed in the prior 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the income offending variety -- past year calculation.
Income Offending Variety - acts beyond six months [c#incev]; a proportion in which the numerator is a count of the acts which were committed more than 6 months ago. Excludes acts that were done within the past 6 months. The denominator remains the same as in the income offending variety-past year calculation.
Income Offending Variety Proportion - No Drug - Past year [c#sroind]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of income offenses, exclusive of the 3 drug items, which were ever committed and the denominator is the items which are non-drug related income generating offenses that are not system missing.
Income Offending Variety Proportion - No Drug - Past six months [c#inc6nd]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of income offenses, exclusive of the 3 drug items, which were committed in the past six months and the denominator is the items which are non-drug related income generating offenses that are not system missing.
Income Offending Variety Proportion - No Drug - acts beyond six months [c#ievnd]; a proportion in which the numerator is the number of income offenses, exclusive of the 3 drug items, which were committed more than six months ago. Excludes acts that were done within the past six months. The denominator is the items which are non-drug related income generating offenses that are not system missing.
Income Offending Frequency - past year [C#incfrq]
Income Offending Frequency No Drug - past year [c#icfqnd].

The following individual items are also available:

Whether the subject engaged in the 24 different antisocial acts in the past year.

Destroyed/damaged property [C#SroS01]
Set fire [C#SroS02]
Broke in to steal [C#SroS03]
Shoplifted [C#SroS04]
Bought/received/sold stolen prop [C#SroS05]
Used check/credit card illegally [C#SroS06]
Stole car or motorcycle [C#SroS07]
Sold marijuana [C#SroS08]
Sold other drugs [C#SroS09]
Carjacked [C#SroS10]
Drove drunk or high [C#SroS11]
Been paid by someone for sex [C#SroS12]
Forced someone to have sex [C#SroS13]
Killed someone [C#SroS14]
Shot someone bullet hit [C#SroS15]
Shot at someone no hit [C#SroS16]
Took by force with a weapon [C#SroS17]
Took by force without a weapon [C#SroS18]
Beat up someone serious injury [C#SroS19]
In a fight [C#SroS20]
Beat someone as part of gang [C#SroS21]
Carried a gun [C#SroS22]
Broke into car to steal [C#SroS23]
Went joyriding [C#SroS24]

Frequency of committing each of the following acts over the past year.

Destroyed/damaged property [C#SroF01_Num]
Set fire [C#SroF02_Num]
Broke in to steal [C#SroF03_Num]
Shoplifted [C#SroF04_Num]
Bought/received/sold stolen prop [C#SroF05_Num]
Used check/credit card illegally [C#SroF06_Num]
Stole car or motorcycle [C#SroF07_Num]
Sold marijuana [C#SroF08_Num]
Sold other drugs [C#SroF09_Num]
Carjacked [C#SroF10_Num]
Drove drunk or high [C#SroF11_Num]
Been paid by someone for sex [C#SroF12_Num]
Forced someone to have sex [C#SroF13_Num]
Killed someone [C#SroF14_Num]
Shot someone bullet hit [C#SroF15_Num]
Shot at someone no hit [C#SroF16_Num]
Took by force with a weapon [C#SroF17_Num]
Took by force without a weapon [C#SroF18_Num]
Beat up someone serious injury [C#SroF19_Num]
In a fight [C#SroF20_Num]
Beat someone as part of gang [C#SroF21_Num]
Carried a gun [C#SroF22_Num]
Broke into car to steal [C#SroF23_Num]
Went joyriding [C#SroF24_Num]

When the subject last engaged in each act.

Destroyed/damaged property [C#SroF01_Lst]
Set fire [C#SroF02_Lst]
Broke in to steal [C#SroF03_Lst]
Shoplifted [C#SroF04_Lst]
Bought/received/sold stolen prop [C#SroF05_Lst]
Used check/credit card illegally [C#SroF06_Lst]
Stole car or motorcycle [C#SroF07_Lst]
Sold marijuana [C#SroF08_Lst]
Sold other drugs [C#SroF09_Lst]
Carjacked [C#SroF10_Lst]
Drove drunk or high [C#SroF11_Lst]
Been paid by someone for sex [C#SroF12_Lst]
Forced someone to have sex [C#SroF13_Lst]
Killed someone [C#SroF14_Lst]
Shot someone bullet hit [C#SroF15_Lst]
Shot at someone no hit [C#SroF16_Lst]
Took by force with a weapon [C#SroF17_Lst]
Took by force without a weapon [C#SroF18_Lst]
Beat up someone serious injury [C#SroF19_Lst]
In a fight [C#SroF20_Lst]
Beat someone as part of gang [C#SroF21_Lst]
Carried a gun [C#SroF22_Lst]
Broke into car to steal [C#SroF23_Lst]
Went joyriding [C#SroF24_Lst]

Whether the subject was alone or if someone was with them the last time they committed each of the following acts.

Destroyed/damaged property [C#SroF01_Grp]
Set fire [C#SroF02_Grp]
Broke in to steal [C#SroF03_Grp]
Shoplifted [C#SroF04_Grp]
Bought/received/sold stolen prop [C#SroF05_Grp]
Used check/credit card illegally [C#SroF06_Grp]
Stole car or motorcycle [C#SroF07_Grp]
Sold marijuana [C#SroF08_Grp]
Sold other drugs [C#SroF09_Grp]
Carjacked [C#SroF10_Grp]
Drove drunk or high [C#SroF11_Grp]
Been paid by someone for sex [C#SroF12_Grp]
Forced someone to have sex [C#SroF13_Grp]
Killed someone [C#SroF14_Grp]
Shot someone bullet hit [C#SroF15_Grp]
Shot at someone no hit [C#SroF16_Grp]
Took by force with a weapon [C#SroF17_Grp]
Took by force without a weapon [C#SroF18_Grp]
Beat up someone serious injury [C#SroF19_Grp]
In a fight [C#SroF20_Grp]
Beat someone as part of gang [C#SroF21_Grp]
Carried a gun [C#SroF22_Grp]
Broke into car to steal [C#SroF23_Grp]
Went joyriding [C#SroF24_Grp]

Data Issues

It should be noted that the income offending and aggressive offending scores overlap on two items (see below). Specifically, they both include 'took by force w/ weapon' and 'took by force no weapon'. This can be a problem because it will artificially increase the correlation between these two indicators. You will be less likely to get unique predictors and less likely to get discriminant variability when these two indicators are used in the same model.
The following items are excluded for the "no drug" version of the variables:

Ever sold marijuana
Ever sold other illegal drugs
Ever drove while drunk or high

The following ten items are used in the income offending scores:

Broke in to steal
Shoplifted
Bought/received/sold stolen prop
Used check/credit card illegally
Stole car or motorcycle
Sold marijuana
Sold other drugs
Been paid by someone for sex
Took by force with a weapon
Took by force without a weapon

The following 11 items are used in the aggressive offending scores:

Destroyed/damaged property
Set fire
Forced someone to have sex
Killed someone
Shot someone bullet hit
Shot at someone no hit
Took by force with a weapon
Took by force without a weapon
Beat up someone serious injury
In a fight
Beat someone as part of gang

Items "enter car to steal" and "went joyriding" were added to the questionnaire later. Therefore there are 439 missing values for these two items at the collateral baseline interview, and 532 missing values at the subject baseline. The group decision to use only 22 items was made after an initial article was published by George Knight, Michelle Little and other on the measurement invariance of the SRO measure (published in Youth Violence, Juvenile Justice in 2004). In these analyses, the investigators ran confirmatory factor analyses with all of the data and estimated means and intercepts in AMOS. They then ran the confirmatory factor analyses with no missing data, and with those items excluded. There were no appreciable differences in the overall results. In the final runs, they estimated means and intercepts. If one is using females as a separate group in analyses regarding the SRO, caution should be exercised because there is considerable missing data in a small sample.

This issue was further discussed with the working group in August, 2004. At that time, the group decided to change the way the variety scores were calculated. Instead of continuing to use the "count" function to calculate these scores, the group decided to switch to a proportion. That is, the score becomes the number of endorsed items divided by the number of items asked (in most cases 24 items, but in some, 22 items or fewer were asked).

The two items "When was the last time" and "were you along or with a group the last time" are only asked if the "Number of times in the past year" item is at least 1.

References

Elliot, D. S. ( 1990 ). National Youth Survey . Institute of Behavioral Science. University of Colorado.
Delbert S. Elliott, David Huizinga, and Scott Menard (1989) Multiple Problem Youth: Delinquency, Substance Use, and Mental Health Problems(New York: Springer-Verlag).
Huizinga, D., Esbensen, F., & Weihar, A. (1991). Are there multiple paths to delinquency? Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 82, 83-118.