NCJ Number
57627
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 45-51
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE NON-INTERVENTION (ARGUMENT AGAINST STIGMATIZATION OF ADOLESCENTS INVOLVED IN MINOR OFFENSES) IS REFUTED; EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN MINOR OFFENSES TEND TO ALSO BE INVOLVED IN MORE SERIOUS CRIMES.
Abstract
DATA WAS DERIVED FROM A SAMPLE OF 412 MALE STUDENTS IN A PREDOMINATELY WHITE HIGHSCHOOL IN THE MIDWEST. A TOTAL OF 30 OFFENSES WERE RECORDED. OF ALL SUBJECTS, 92 PERCENT REPORTED INVOLVEMENT IN SOME TYPE OF CRIME; 58 PERCENT WERE INVOLVED IN VICTIMLESS CRIMES (DISORDERLY CONDUCT, USE OF MARIHUANA, ETC.); 27.4 PERCENT HAD COMMITTED PROPERTY OFFENSES, AND 14.6 PERCENT WERE INVOLVED IN PERSONAL OFFENSES. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY SHOW THAT ADOLESCENTS ENGAGE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF DELINQUENT ACTIVITIES. MANY OF THOSE INVOLVED IN VICTIMLESS CRIMES WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN PROPERTY OFFENSES AND PERSONAL OFFENSES. CONVERSELY, OF THOSE WITH LITTLE INVOLVEMENT IN VICTIMLESS OFFENSES, ONLY 6 PERCENT WERE HIGHLY INVOLVED IN PROPERTY OFFENSES AND 3 PERCENT IN PERSONAL OFFENSES. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THOSE INVOLVED MINIMALLY IN VICTIMLESS CRIMES WERE FREQUENTLY INVOLVED IN ALL TYPES OF CRIMES, WHILE THOSE WHO WERE FREQUENTLY ENGAGED IN VICTIMLESS CRIMES ALSO HAD HIGH LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT IN MORE SERIOUS CRIMES. THE RESULTS THUS SUGGEST THAT THE ARGUMENT OF NON-INTERVENTION IN CASES OF JUVENILES INVOLVED IN VICTIMLESS CRIMES IS ILL-ADVISED BECAUSE THESE JUVENILES ARE LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED IN MORE SERIOUS OFFENSES. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (STB)