NCJ Number
143441
Journal
Sociological Quarterly Volume: 25 Dated: (Spring 1984) Pages: 155-172
Date Published
1984
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Study of juvenile delinquency may benefit from utilization of the concept of career-lines, defined as offense sequences or patterns common to some proportion of the offenders.
Abstract
Variance centroid scaling was used to analyze the arrest histories of a sample of 767 juveniles who were incarcerated in a New Jersey correctional facility between October 1977 and December 1978. Four significant dimensions were found: contrast of crimes against persons with crimes against property, contrast of crimes against persons with status offenses, contrast of a mix of offenses (auto theft, driving without a license, weapons possession, drug-related offenses) with primarily minor offenses, and contrast of narcotics possession with a composite of persons and property crimes. An analysis of 62 careers in the sample demonstrated three types of developmental careers: those that move from burglary to serious crimes against persons, from status offenses to auto theft, and from all crimes to drug use. 1 table, 4 figures,