JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN PERSPECTIVE

• NCJ Number: 45625
• Author(s): B S GRIFFIN; C T GRIFFIN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 473 pages
• Sale Source: Harper and Row Publishers
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS BOOK, DESIGNED AS A TEXT FOR UNDERGRADUATE SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS, PROVIDES A BROAD OVERVIEW OF THE FIELD OF DELINQUENCY BASED ON HISTORY AND A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT KNOWLEDGE.

Abstract

THE TEXT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAJOR PARTS: DELINQUENCY AND THE JUVENILE OFFENDER, DELINQUENCY CAUSATION, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION. THE FIRST PROVIDES A DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE NATURE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. THE HISTORY OF THE FIELD IS PRESENTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE SEPARATION OF DELINQUENCY FROM CRIMINOLOGY. DELINQUENCY IS DEFINED, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DELINQUENTS ARE INTRODUCED. ONE CHAPTER EVALUATES THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AS SEEN THROUGH THE OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO CURRENT KNOWLEDGE. GROUP FACTORS IN DELINQUENCY AND CLASSIFICATION SCHEMES USED IN THE FIELD ARE INTRODUCED. ANOTHER SECTION IS DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO AN ASSESSMENT OF THEORIES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. EARLY THEORIES ABOUT CHILD CRIME SET THE STAGE FOR DISCUSSION OF MORE RECENT THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AS THEY DEVELOP SEPARATELY FROM CRIMINOLOGY. PRIMARY EMPHASIS IS ON SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY. THE THIRD PART FOLLOWS THE JUVENILE FROM INITIAL POLICE CONTACT THROUGH THE JUVENILE COURT TO POSSIBLE PLACEMENT IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, RELEASE, AND RECEPTION BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. THE AVAILABLE DIVERSIONARY TACTICS AT EACH STAGE ARE EXAMINED. ARREST AND POLICE DISPOSITION, DETENTION, YOUTH SERVICES, THE JUVENILE COURT, PROBATION, AND CORRECTION ARE DISCUSSED. FINALLY, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT STRATEGIES AND SOCIAL POLICY ISSUES ARE EVALUATED. THEORY DEVELOPMENT, VERIFICATIONAL, AND EVALUATIVE RESEARCH ARE EMPHASIZED. IN ADDITION, A PROGRAM OF RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CONTROL, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS CITED AS ONE WAY TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--VA)