NCJ Number
147220
Journal
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Volume: 347 Dated: (May 1963) Pages: 20-29
Date Published
1963
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Beginning in the mid-1950's, American sociologists became increasingly concerned with the effects of class differences on juvenile delinquency and deviance.
Abstract
This author maintains that, while class research gained prominence during the Depression, many sociologists inaccurately portrayed class differences by claiming identification of exclusive criteria of differences between class groups. As a result, some experts have failed to comprehend realistically the full dimensions of the changing class structure in the U.S. and have readily attributed delinquency and other types of youthful deviance to a rejection of middle-class values. Consequently, they have avoided reference to pervasive behavioral practices typical of the culture as a whole. This avoidance has led in turn to a failure to recognize hidden variables in the dynamics of delinquency and in the identification of delinquent types. Power in our society becomes a highly critical variable in age-level tensions, and this aspect has not been fully developed in the literature. 24 notes