NCJ Number
7315
Date Published
1965
Length
277 pages
Annotation
COMMUNITY DATA EMPLOYED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE CRITERIA UTILIZED BY AGENCIES OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN APPLYING SANCTIONS TO JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
Abstract
THE FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR THIS WORK IS EDWIN M. LEMERT'S THEORY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, WHICH EMPHASIZES THE REACTION OF SOCIETY AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEVIANT ROLES. IN ORDER TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE BROADER PROBLEM OF SOCIETY'S REACTION TO DELINQUENCY, THE AUTHOR FOCUSES ON THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE POLICE, THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE COURTS. THE STUDY IS CONDUCTED ON THE BASIS OF DATA OBTAINED PRIMARILY FROM THESE SOURCES. THE SEVERITY OF SOCIETAL REACTION WAS POSITIVELY RELATED TO THE DEGREE AND AMOUNT OF DEVIANCE. THE STUDY ADVOCATES THE WITHHOLDING OF MORE SEVERE SANCTIONS UNTIL THE OFFENDER DEMONSTRATES BY FURTHER MISBEHAVIOR THAT THEIR USE IS WARRANTED. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT AS SOCIETAL REACTION INCREASES IN SEVERITY, THE PROBLEM IS INCREASED IN THAT THE OFFENDER WILL BE - (1) ACCORDED A DEVIANT STATUS (2) STIGMATIZED AS A DEVIANT AND (3) ISOLATED FROM NONDEVIANT STATUSES. THIS LEADS TO A RESTRICTION OF ROLE ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE TO THE OFFENDER AND INCREASES THE PROBABILITY THAT HE WILL DEVELOP A DELINQUENT SELF IMAGE AND ADOPT A DEVIANT CAREER ROLE. STATISTICAL ANALYSES ARE INCLUDED. BIBLIOGRAPHY (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)