NCJ Number
68083
Journal
Social Work Volume: 25 Issue: 3 Dated: (MAY 1980) Pages: 230-234
Date Published
1980
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE DATA COLLECTED IN THIS STUDY EXPOSE SEVERAL MYTHS SURROUNDING THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENSES, AND REVEAL DIFFERENCES AMONG STATUS OFFENDERS THAT HAVE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL POLICY AND INTERVENTION.
Abstract
DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM 125 RANDOMLY CHOSEN MALE AND FEMALE SUBJECTS CHARGED WITH STATUS OFFENSES. A SIGNIFICANT FINDING OF THE 2-YEAR FOLLOWUP STUDY WAS THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY THREE GROUPS IN THE STATUS OFFENSE POPULATION AND THAT RELATIVELY FEW YOUTHS ARE PURE STATUS OFFENDERS. OF THE TOTAL SAMPLE, ONLY 55.2 PERCENT STARTED AND FINISHED AS RUNAWAYS, TRUANTS, OR STUBBORN CHILDREN (GROUP 1). A TOTAL OF 20.8 PERCENT STARTED AS STATUS OFFENDERS AND PROGRESSED TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR (GROUP 2), AND 24 PERCENT STARTED WITH DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR AND WERE LATER CLASSIFIED AS STATUS OFFENDERS (GROUP 3). THE DATA COLLECTED SUPPORT ADVOCATES OF DECRIMINALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENSES AND THE TOTAL REMOVAL OF STATUS COMPLAINTS FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT STATUS OFFENDERS HAVE MANY SIMILARITIES WITH THEIR DELINQUENT COUNTERPARTS, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND RECIDIVISM. THIS NEGATIVE PROFILE REFLECTS A COMPLEXITIES OF STRESS LEADING TO DEVIANT BEHAVIOR THAT ARE NOT EASILY CHANGED BY COURT INVOLVEMENT OR TREATMENT. THE ANALYSIS OF THE THREE SUBGROUPS INDICATES THAT PURE STATUS OFFENDERS ARE UNDER LESS STRESS. THEY TEND TO COME FROM MORE STABLE FAMILIES, TO BELONG TO A HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC GROUP, AND TO RECIDIVATE LESS OFTEN THAN THE OTHER TWO GROUPS. THEY ARE ALSO OFFERED MORE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, AND VOLUNTARY HELP. IN SUMMARY, GIVING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM WIDE DISCRETIONARY POWER OVER DEVIANT BEHAVIOR HAS RESULTED IN A PATERNALISTIC, SEXIST SYSTEM THAT ATTEMPTS TO COERCE BOTH DELINQUENTS AND STATUS OFFENDER TO CONFORM. TREATING BOTH GROUPS ALIKE HAS SERVED NEITHER THE INDIVIDUAL NOR SOCIETY. NONETHELESS, THE REMOVAL OF STATUS OFFENDERS FROM THE JURISDICTION OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS NOT LIKELY TO HAVE THE IMPACT THAT ADVOCATES CLAIM. ANY ADVANTAGE THE COURT MIGHT REALIZE IN REDUCED CASELOADS AND EXPENDITURES WOULD ONLY HAVE TO BE MADE UP FOR BY THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. DECRIMINALIZATION WOULD, HOWEVER, REMOVE PURE STATUS OFFENDERS FROM THE STIGMATIZING EFFECTS OF COURT INVOLVEMENT. NINE REFERENCES ARE APPENDED.