NCJ Number
69012
Journal
ANNALES DE VAUCRESSON Issue: 15 Dated: (1978) Pages: 183-205
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
THE ATTITUDES OF JUVENILES TOWARD CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, BOTH THEIR OWN AND OTHERS, ARE EXPLORED ON THE BASIS OF DATA FROM A QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETED BY 228 ADOLESCENTS ATTENDING A THEATER FESTIVAL IN FRANCE.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO THE JUVENILES (AGED 14 TO 23 IN THE FINAL POPULATION) ASKED FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE JUVENILES' COMMISSION OF INFRACTIONS, CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ATTITUDES TOWARD THE GRAVITY OF THE INFRACTIONS THEY COMMITTED AND TOWARD VARIOUS OFFENSES, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD FRIENDS WHO HAD COMMITTED INFRACTIONS. THE STUDY AIMED TO DISCOVER WHETHER OR NOT A RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND APPROVAL OF THAT BEHAVIOR; WHAT JUVENILES' ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME ARE IN RELATION TO SUCH VARIABLES AS AGE, SEX, OR SOCIAL STATUS. THE STUDY ALSO INVESTIGATED WHETHER MORE JUVENILES COMMIT INFRACTIONS THAN ARE CAUGHT OR SANCTIONED; AND WHETHER ADOLESCENCE INVOLVES THE REGULAR COMMISSION OF CERTAIN CRIMES AS A FUNCTION OF AGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARD LAW AND AUTHORITY. THE POPULATION CANNOT BE CONSIDERED REPRESENTATIVE OF FRENCH YOUTHS, AS THOSE ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL TENDED TO BE QUITE INDEPENDENT, TO BE FROM A SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL ABOVE THE NORM, AND TO HAVE A MORE OPEN AND CURIOUS SPIRIT THAN MOST FRENCH TEENAGERS. SOME BEHAVIOR THAT IS MORE OR LESS CONDEMNED IN THE LAW AND PUBLIC OPINION APPEARED TO BE COMMON PRACTICE AMONG THESE YOUTHS: SHOPLIFTING, DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE, DRUNKENNESS, INSULTING ADULTS, PARTICIPATING IN DEMONSTRATIONS, EATING WITHOUT PAYING, AND TO SOME EXTENT, USING DRUGS. ONLY A MINORITY REPORTED GRAND THEFT, VIOLENT OFFENSES, OR PROSTITUTION. FEMALES APPEARED TO HAVE COMMITTED AS MANY INFRACTIONS AS MALES AND TO HAVE AS MANY CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (5 PERCENT OF FEMALES AND 8 PERCENT OF MALES), WHILE OFFICIAL STATISTICS SHOW 1 FEMALE AGAINST 10 MALES HAVING SUCH CONTACTS. BECAUSE OF THE NONREPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE SAMPLE, NO CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN. FEWER FEMALES COMMITTED THE MORE SERIOUS CRIMES THAN MALES. MORE FREQUENT AND MORE SERIOUS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR WAS NOTED FOR ALL OLDER JUVENILES THAN FOR YOUNGER RESPONDENTS. FOR THEFT AND ESPECIALLY FOR DRUG USE, FEMALE AND MALE ATTITUDES SEEMED TO BE INFLUENCED BY THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR, WITH THE YOUTHS BEING MORE INDULGENT TOWARDS THE TYPES OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR THEY INDULGE IN THEMSELVES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. --IN FRENCH.