NCJ Number
129991
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychology Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1990) Pages: 472-485
Date Published
1990
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Seventy-one delinquents convicted of homicide were compared with 71 nonviolent delinquents on age, race, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES) from a sample of 1,956 adolescents to describe and contrast both groups on the following physical, psychological, psychiatric, and social characteristics: neurological and neonatal causal factors (frequency of Central Nervous System and neonatal disorders and epilepsy); severe educational difficulties (retardation, perceptual handicaps, and underachievement); and psychiatric and social characteristics (home situations, gang participation, weekly substance abuse, psychiatric hospitalizations, hallucinations, and overdose).
Abstract
The two groups were compared on the basis of these evaluations by stepwise discriminant analysis, matched pairs, 2-tailed t-tests, and nonparametric tests. Four symptoms significantly differentiated adolescents who were convicted of homicide from matched nonviolent delinquents: criminally violent family members in 58 percent versus 20 percent; gang participation in 41 percent versus 14 percent; alcohol abuse in 38 percent versus 24 percent; and severe educational difficulties. 3 tables and 36 references (Author abstract modified)