NCJ Number
121816
Journal
Juvenile & Family Court Journal Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Dated: (1989) Pages: 45-51
Date Published
1989
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Many theories attempt to account for juvenile delinquency with most providing convincing partial explanations for some phenomena and very few offering more than vague guidelines for treatment.
Abstract
A skill-deficit conception of deviance which has implications for treatment has been developed by the social learning school of psychology. A sample of 411 adjudicated male delinquents aged 12 to 15 was studied in order to determine the applicability of this approach. Assessment along a number of dimensions including daily living skills and standardized achievement tests revealed that they were deficient as a group in all the skill areas measured. Treatment recommendations as well as implications for delinquency theory are discussed. 3 tables, 7 references. (Author abstract modified)