NCJ Number
126161
Date Published
1990
Length
214 pages
Annotation
Interviews with 250 delinquent youth in 19 juvenile residential facilities in 7 states formed the basis of this analysis of delinquent youths' perspectives on the causes, prevention, and reduction of juvenile delinquency.
Abstract
The interviewers were facility staff persons who had strong records of developing good relationships with the youths in their agencies and who received training in how to conduct detailed, semistructured interviews. The youths included both males and females; were white, black, and Hispanic; and were mostly of lower socioeconomic status. Findings showed that the youths' views often contrasted sharply with professional perspectives on delinquency. Thus, the youths perceived their dysfunctional families, peers, and drugs to be the causes of their delinquency and believed that stricter parenting and schooling and harsher punishments by the criminal justice system would prevent recidivism. Nevertheless, some youths made more positive suggestions, including greater use of parent training, improved family communications, and curricular innovations in schools. Research showing the negative results of punishment indicates the need to reject the youths' call for more punishment and to focus on increasing positive peer influences and parent training. Author and subject indexes, appended methodological information, and 391 references.