NCJ Number
52555
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINES DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS OF CHILDREN REGARDING THEIR DETERMINATION OF SEVERITIES OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND THE AGE AT WHICH THEY BEGIN TO RANK CRIMES' SERIOUSNESS IN THE SAME MANNER THAT ADULTS DO.
Abstract
IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PATTERNS INVOLVED WITH CHILDREN DEVELOPING CRIME SEVERITY DISCRIMINATION ABILITIES, A SELLIN-WOLFGANG SCALE FOR RANKING SERIOUSNESS OF CRIME WAS USED TO ANALYZE PRETEST INTERVIEW RESPONSES OF 59 SUBJECTS, AGED 4-12, TEST RESPONSES OF CHILDREN FROM 10 PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A MID-ATLANTIC METROPOLITAN AREA WHO RANGE FROM GRADES 4-12, AND RESPONSES OF 97 UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO REPRESENTED THE 'ADULT POPULATION.' SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO RANK SEVERAL MINOR AND SERIOUS OFFENSES ACCORDING TO AN 11-POINT CATEGORY SCALE. IT WAS FOUND THAT, AS THE CHILD MATURES, THERE IS AN INCREASED ABILITY TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN CRIME EVENTS AND TO PLACE THE MOST SERIOUS CRIMES AT ONE END OF THE SCALE AND MINOR OFFENSES AT THE LOWER END. AS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GRADE LEVEL INCREASES, THE SIMILARITIES IN RESPONSES DECREASE. NO PARTICULAR POINT-IN-TIME IS DISTINGUISHABLE AS THE AGE IN WHICH A CHILD LEARNS TO DISCRIMINATE ON SEVERITIES OF TYPES OF CRIME, ALTHOUGH SUBJECTS AROUND THE GRADES OF 7 AND 8 BEGIN TO RATE THE SEVERITY OF CRIME WITH GREATER SIMILARITY TO ADULTS THAN DO THE YOUNGER CHILDREN. CHILDREN IN THE YOUNGER GRADES ARE ABLE TO PERCEIVE CRIME EVENTS AS SERIOUS, ALTHOUGH IT IS APPARENT THAT THESE CHILDREN RELATE MORE TO CRIME EVENTS THAT HAVE SOME RELATION TO THEIR EXPERIENCE, SUCH AS STEALING OR RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME, AND TEND TO RANK THESE ACTS AS MORE SERIOUS THAN HOMICIDE. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)