DELINQUENCY AS DEFENSE (FROM CRIME AND JUSTICE, 1971-1972 - AN AMS ANTHOLOGY, 1974 BY JACKWELL SUSMAN SEE NCJ-28615)

• NCJ Number: 28618
• Author(s): M GOLD; D MANN
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 18 pages
• Corporate Author: AMS Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY EXPLORES THE HYPOTHESIS THAT A SIGNIFICANT MOTIVATION FOR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS TO DEFEND AGAINST A LOWERED SELF-IMAGE CAUSED BY SCHOLASTIC FAILURE.

Abstract

DATA FOR THIS STUDY WAS DRAWN FROM THE 1967 NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOUTH, WHICH CONSISTED OF INTERVIEWS WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF 847 AMERICAN BOYS AND GIRLS THIRTEEN THROUGH SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. THE DATA FROM THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WAS NEGATIVELY RELATED TO SCHOOLGRADES AMONG BOYS WHO REPORT THEMSELVES TO HAVE A MORE MASCULINE BODY IMAGE AND WHEN THEY REPORT THEIR FRIENDS TO BE MORE HIGHLY DELINQUENT. THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SCHOOLGRADES ON SELF-ESTEEM WAS MORE STRONGLY FELT BY THOSE WHO WERE CLOSER TO THEIR PARENTS. AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOLGRADES AND SELF-ESTEEM WAS RELIABLY NEGATIVE AMONG ALL THE RESPONDENTS EXCEPT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE HIGHLY DELINQUENT. NO SUCH CLEAR FINDINGS WERE REVEALED FOR GIRLS. THE IMPLICATIONS OF STUDY FINDINGS FOR DELINQUENCY TREATMENT PROGRAMS IS DISCUSSED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)