NCJ Number
80848
Date Published
1977
Length
234 pages
Annotation
The goals of juvenile law and the position of juveniles within West German society are investigated through a review of current practices and structure of the juvenile justice system, with emphasis on defective socialization as a cause of delinquency.
Abstract
Failure of delinquent youths to grasp the basic norms of society results from inadequacies in the educational process performed by the family, schools, and the system of social control. Policies regarding deviant behavior are in disarray because of scientific and legal problems in defining the term 'juvenile' and in applying criminal justice controls. Categories of deviant juvenile behavior examined range from rejective attitudes, social defiance, and behavioral difficulty to personality disturbances, juvenile delinquency, and juvenile conflict. Current strategies of intervention hailed as progressive in the 1960's are now labeled ineffective and inappropriate, particularly resocialization efforts undertaken in juvenile correctional institutions in which judges place troubled youths whose deviance does not fall into a criminal category. Reform of juvenile law is recommended to coordinate juvenile assistance, protection, and justice legislation. Modifications should focus on alternatives to institutionalization and early diagnosis and prevention of potentially deviant behavior. An index and over 300 references are given. Tabular data are provided.