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HOW SHOULD ONE JUDGE OFFENSES BY CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT PUNISHABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE

NCJ Number
15140
Journal
Kriminologisches Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY-MARCH 1974) Pages: 23-28
Author(s)
M TRAULSEN
Date Published
1974
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD BE ALERT TO CERTAIN FACTORS IN THE BACKGROUNDS OF OFFENDERS WHICH INDICATE A RELATIVELY GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF RECIDIVISM.
Abstract
A STUDY OF 223 DELINQUENT WEST GERMAN CHILDREN FOLLOWED THEIR CAREERS TO THE AGE OF 26. AMONG THIS GROUP, HALF WERE EVENTUALLY SENTENCED FOR OFFENSES WHILE THEY WERE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 26. A COMPARISON OF THE TWO HALVES OF THE GROUP SHOWED THAT CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND AMONG THOSE WHO WERE LATER SENTENCED. THESE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDED A GREATER NUMBER AND LONGER PERIOD OF DELINQUENT ACTS COMMITTED WHILE THEY WERE STILL CHILDREN. THE DATA WAS NOT CONCLUSIVE ENOUGH TO ENABLE THE CERTAIN PREDICTION OF INDIVIDUAL CASES. --IN GERMAN