SOCIAL CLASS, PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS AND JUVENILE COURT DISPOSITIONS IN DELINQUENCY CASES - DISSERTATION SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 53512
• Author(s): R A ROOS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF TESTS OF FIVE HYPOTHESES CONCERNING SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENT COURT DISPOSITIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THIS SUPPLEMENT TO A DISSERTATION STUDY.

Abstract

THE FIVE HYPOTHESES ARE STATED AS FOLLOWS: (1) THE HIGHER THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF A JUVENILE, THE LESS SEVERE THE DISPOSITION MADE BY THE COURT; (2) WHITES ARE LESS LIKELY THAN NONWHITES (BLACKS AND MEXICAN-AMERICANS) TO RECEIVE A SEVERE DISPOSITION FROM THE COURT; (3) THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS BETWEEN JUVENILES WHO RECEIVE AN ACCELERATED CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION DURING THE COURT PROCESSING OF THEIR CASES AND THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE A PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION; (4) WHITES ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NONWHITES TO RECEIVE A PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION DURING THE COURT PROCESSING OF THEIR CASES; AND (5) FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVE ACCELERATED CLINICAL PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION, THE HIGHER THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF A JUVENILE, THE LESS SEVERE THE DISPOSITION MADE BY THE COURT. CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN IN THE ANALYSIS TO TRAFFIC AND MISCELLANEOUS MISDEMEANOR, DRUG AND ALCOHOL, PROPERTY, SEX-RELATED, AND VIOLENT OFFENSES. THE FIRST, SECOND, AND FIFTH HYPOTHESES WERE SUPPORTED, WHILE THE THIRD AND FOURTH HYPOTHESES WERE NOT SUPPORTED. DATA FROM THE ANALYSIS ARE TABULATED. SEE NCJ-53511. (DEP)