NCJ Number
154605
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 68 Issue: 1 Dated: (January-March 1995) Pages: 53-57
Date Published
1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the literature, including the author's own writings, on factors in delinquent behavior.
Abstract
A study by Scott, conducted in 1950, confirms the opinions of those who believe that delinquency is mainly the result of factors that are created in the "unsatisfactory" family. Researchers note that maladjusted children are often found in such families but do not have a history of delinquency. The author of this article, in his book "Playleadership," mentions that sometimes one appearance of a juvenile in court labels him as a delinquent. Durran, in his "Roots of Crime," argues that at any given time, an individual's make-up is a blend of nature and nurture. The broken home and all that it implies is given by Curran as the common precipitative cause of delinquent behavior. In the early 1960's, Audrey conducted a test that consisted of a long questionnaire administered to boys and their mothers and a separate one to the father alone. The subjects were 160 boys, all from recognized "good homes," of whom 80 were delinquent and 80 were not. Among the findings were that an inattentive father is more likely to cause a child to be delinquent than is an inattentive mother. Also, open affection from both parents is one of the best weapons against delinquency. Various means are suggested for delinquency prevention, such as sports clubs and youth organizations. 4 references