NCJ Number
58777
Date Published
1978
Length
29 pages
Annotation
THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN THE ETIOLOGY OF DEVIANT SUBCULTURES AMONG YOUTHS IS DISCUSSED, AND IMPLICATIONS OF SUBCULTURE THEORY FOR SCHOOL POLICY ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
JUVENILE CRIME IS PRIMARILY A SUBCULTURAL PHENOMENON. THE PRINCIPAL TYPES OF JUVENILE CRIME--DRUG USE, VANDALISM, THEFT, ETC.--USUALLY ARE COMMITTED BY GROUPS WITH THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND PERSPECTIVES; I.E., BY GROUPS OF JUVENILES WHO ARE PART OF A DEVIANT SUBCULTURE. THREE CONDITIONS MUST BE PRESENT FOR A SUBCULTURE TO DEVELOP: A COMMON SET OF PROBLEMS, A COMMON STRUCTURAL POSITION IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM, AND DIFFERENTIAL INTERACTION (MORE FREQUENT INTERACTION AMONG GROUP MEMBERS THAN BETWEEN GROUP MEMBERS AND PEOPLE FROM OTHER SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY). ALL THREE CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, IN ADDITION TO OTHER INFLUENCES CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF DEVIANT SUBCULTURES. SUBCULTURE THEORY SUGGESTS SEVERAL DIRECTIONS FOR SCHOOL POLICY, INCLUDING THE RESTRUCTURING OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO REDUCE STUDENTS' SENSE OF ALIENATION AND STATUS DEPRIVATION, AND THE CREATION OF PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN NONDEVIANT SUBCULTURES. HOWEVER, A BASIC DILEMMA MUST BE FACED IN ATTEMPTING TO DEAL WITH DEVIANT STUDENTS. IF PROBLEM STUDENTS ARE ISOLATED IN SPECIAL CLASSES OR INSTITUTIONS, IDEAL CONDITIONS ARE CREATED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF DEVIANT SUBCULTURES. BUT IF SUCH STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO STAY IN REGULAR CLASSES, CHANCES ARE GREATLY INCREASED THAT THEIR DEVIANT BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS WILL SPREAD TO OTHER STUDENTS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)