NCJ Number
14476
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1974) Pages: 80-87
Date Published
1974
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A PILOT STUDY OF 400 PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CHICAGO DEMONSTRATES SEVERAL METHODS OF RELATING SOCIAL FACTORS TO DELINQUENCY.
Abstract
FOUR PROBLEMS CHARACTERIZE MUCH OF THE PAST RESEARCH ON THE RELATION OF SOCIAL FACTORS TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY MEASUREMENT OF SOCIAL BACKGROUND, ONE-DIMENSIONAL INDEXES OF DELINQUENCY, BIAS IN MEASUREMENT OF DELINQUENCY, AND NONPARAMETRIC STATISTICAL TESTS. THESE PROBLEMS MAY BE OVERCOME IN PART BY USING SPECIFIC, PROXIMAL MEASURES OF BACKGROUND, MULTIPLE INDEXES OF DELINQUENCY, ANONYMOUS SELF-REPORTS OF DELINQUENCY INCIDENCE, AND PARAMETRIC STATISTICS SUCH AS COMPONENTS ANALYSIS AND REGRESSION OR ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE. THE PRESENT PAPER DEMONSTRATES THE USE OF THESE METHODS IN A PILOT STUDY OF ABOUT 400 PUBLIC HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CHICAGO. THE COMPONENTS ANALYSIS SHOWS THE FACTOR PATTERN OF DELINQUENCY VARIES IN SAMPLES OF BOYS AND GIRLS, HENCE MULTIPLE RATHER THAN SINGLE INDICATORS MUST BE USED. THE REGRESSION ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF DELINQUENCY ARE FUNCTIONS OF DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF FAMILY BACKGROUND, ETHNICITY, AND SEX, FOR EXAMPLE, BOYS, ESPECIALLY WHITE BOYS, IN THE SAMPLE MORE OFTEN REPORTED CAR THEFTS, AND NEGRO GIRLS REPORTED MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WHITE GIRLS OF HAVING ENGAGED IN GANG FIGHTS. SEVERAL METHODOLOGICAL INPLICATIONS ARE DRAWN FROM THE FINDINGS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON DELINQUENCY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)