CONCEPTIONS, DIAGNOSTIC STEREOTYPES, AND THE PROCESSING OF DELINQUENTS - A COMMENT AND NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING (FROM THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON POVERTY AND SCHOOL CRIME - V 2, 1978 - SEE NCJ-59837)

• NCJ Number: 59842
• Author(s): D H KELLY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS PAPER CONTENDS THAT CONCEPTIONS OF DELINQUENCY AND DIAGNOSITC STEREOTYPES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF DELINQUENTS.

Abstract

DELINQUENCY IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX PROBLEM FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO EASY SOLUTIONS. MANY CONCEPTUAL AND MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS CONFRONT DELINQUENCY RESEARCHERS. TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS CONCERN CONCEPTIONS OF DELINQUENCY AND DIAGNOSTIC STEREOTYPES. DELINQUENCY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF SOCIAL PROCESSES AND DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF PREVENTION OR TREATMENT PROGRAM SHOULD BE DEVELOPED. CONCEPTIONS AND DIAGNOSTIC STEREOTYPES INFLUENCE THE PRODUCTION OR CREATION OF DELINQUENCY STATISTICS, BUT THEY ALSO AFFECT THE ABILITY TO THEORIZE ABOUT, TREAT, AND PREVENT DELINQUENCY. AN EFFICIENT MONITORING SYSTEM IS REQUIRED WHEREBY PERSONNEL DECISIONS CAN BE SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATED IN TERMS OF ACTUAL STANDARDS APPLIED AND LONG-RANGE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR DECISION. HOWEVER, STRATEGIES SUCH AS A MONITORING SYSTEM, DO NOT REMOVE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ACTIONS BUT MAKE THE IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF DELINQUENTS MORE EQUITABLE. AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DEMONSTRATE HOW PREVAILING CONCEPTIONS AND DIAGNOSTIC STEREOTYPES RENDER CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF ACTORS, E.G., BLACKS AND LOW-INCOME PERSONS, MORE VULNERABLE TO BEING IDENTIFIED AS DELINQUENT. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)