SOCIAL CLASS, SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, AND DELINQUENCY

• NCJ Number: 16119
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1974) Pages: 84-96
• Author(s): K POLK; D FREASE; F L RICHMOND
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH14806
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONCLUDES THAT IN NONMETROPOLITAN AREAS THE SOCIAL FACTORS RELATED TO DELINQUENCY ARE NOT NECESSARILY YOKED TO THE BLUE-COLLAR CLASS AS SOME INFLUENTIAL STUDIES HAVE MAINTAINED.

Abstract

QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO ADOLESCENT MALES, WITH THIRTY-NINE PERCENT OF THE COHORT FROM BLUE-COLLAR FAMILIES AND FORTY-THREE PERCENT FROM WHITE-COLLAR HOMES, WERE DESIGNED TO TEST IF INTERCLASS DIFFERENCES WERE IDENTIFIABLE IN THE CHARACTER OF DELINQUENCY. THE DELINQUENCY STATUS OF EACH RESPONDENT WAS ASCERTAINED FROM JUVENILE COURT RECORDS. CONNECTION WITH AN OFFENSE OTHER THAN A MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATION WAS CONSIDERED DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. TWENTY-FOUR PERCENT OF WHITE-COLLAR AS COMPARED TO TWENTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE BLUE-COLLAR YOUTH WERE FOUND DELINQUENT, THUS DRAWING THE CONCLUSION THAT SOCIAL CLASS HAD LITTLE DIRECT BEARING ON THE INCIDENCE OF RECORDED DELINQUENCY. ALIENATION FROM TRADITIONAL SOURCES OF AUTHORITY - PARENTS, SCHOOL, POLICE, AND LEGAL NORMS - WHILE SEEKING BELONGING AMONG PEERS SIMILARLY ALIENATED WAS ADJUDGED A SOCIAL REALITY COMMON TO DELINQUENTS ACROSS CLASS DEFINITIONS. POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WAS PREVALENT AMONG DELINQUENTS FROM BOTH SOCIAL CLASSES.