NCJ Number
114391
Date Published
1988
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Possible effects of official intervention by police or prosecutor on juveniles' later delinquent behavior, renewed contacts with the juvenile justice system, and level of social integration were examined in a large-scale study of Dutch youth.
Abstract
Results indicate that police dropped charges in about 75 percent of all cases. Of 844 juveniles who reported police contacts, risk of contact was positively related to commission of frequent or more different types of offenses; to type of offense, with contact most likely among those who committed aggressive and property offenses, followed by aggressive offenders and property offenders; and to the frequency of problem behaviors such as truancy and running away. Male gender, greater age, and lower socioeconomic status also were positively related to official police and prosecutor contacts. Results of a 2-year followup of 292 juveniles indicated that 63.5 percent had no earlier prosecutor contacts and did not have further prosecutor contacts. Only 9 percent of the follow up group had judicial contacts. One third of those initially reporting offenses had additional official contacts, while only 14 percent of those not initially reporting offenses had subsequent official contacts. Subsequent contact with the juvenile justice system was not related to sociodemographic variables. Finally, social integration was related to offending frequency, while official contacts had no effects on later delinquency. A measure of some negative consequences of judicial contact showed some relationship to number of judicial contacts and integration, but labeling effects related to the reactions of parents, teachers, and peers were weak. Results are discussed in relation to social control and labeling theories. 13 tables, 2 figures, and 4 references.