POST-PROBATION ADJUSTMENT OF 200 OFFICIAL CASES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN PHILADELPHIA

• NCJ Number: 19684
• Author(s): L ROSENGARTEN
• Date Published: 1959
• Length: 130 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

Annotation

THIS STUDY ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE WHAT PROPORTION OF 200 JUVENILES DISCHARGED FROM PROBATION AS 'SATISFACTORY' REMAINED LAW-ABIDING AND TO IDENTIFY THE VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSEQUENT LAWFUL OR UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

THE SUBJECTS CONSISTED OF 200 JUVENILES WHO HAD BEEN PLACED ON PROBATION BY THE MUNICIPAL COURT OF PHILADELPHIA AND WHOSE PROBATIONARY PERIODS TERMINATED SATISFACTORILY DURING 1950. THE SUBJECTS WHO WERE ADJUDGED DELINQUENT OR CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL OFFENSE DURING THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD FROM THEIR DISCHARGE IN 1950 TO DECEMBER 31, 1955, WERE PLACED IN THE 'FAILURE' GROUP. THOSE WHO REMAINED LAW-ABIDING DURING THIS PERIOD WERE PLACED IN THE 'SUCCESS' GROUP. THE TWO GROUPS WERE THEN COMPARED TO DETERMINE HOW THEY DIFFERED IN TERMS OF FACTORS PERSUMABLY RELATED TO SUCCESS AND FAILURE. DATA ON THE EX-PROBATIONERS WAS GATHERED FROM POLICE AND COURT RECORDS. THE COURT RECORDS REVEALED THAT 32.5 PERCENT OF THE 200 SUBJECTS WERE CONVICTED AGAIN DURING THE FIVE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. THE VARIABLES THAT SEEMED TO HAVE THE STRONGEST ASSOCIATION WITH POSTPROBATION SUCCESS OR FAILURE INCLUDED ARRESTS PRIOR TO OFFENSE LEADING TO PROBATION, AGE AT FIRST ARREST, AGE AT PROBATION, TYPE OF OFFENSE, TOTAL ARRESTS, OTHER SIBLINGS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SIZE OF FAMILY, ADEQUACY OF PARENTAL SUPERVISION, AND HOME CONDITIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)