NCJ Number
46651
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 270-278
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE SEX, AGE, EDUCATION, FAMILY BACKGROUND, OFFENSES, SOURCES OF REFERRAL, AND COURT CASE DISPOSITION OF YOUTHS COMING BEFORE THE JUVENILE COURT OF ATHENS OVER A 6-MONTH PERIOD IN 1974 ARE DETERMINED.
Abstract
THE JUVENILE COURT OF ATHENS SERVES A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION AND DEALS WITH ALL JUVENILES WHO HAVE EITHER BEEN CHARGED WITH AN OFFENSE OR HAVE HAD COMPLAINTS MADE AGAINST THEM REGARDING THEIR BEHAVIOR. ONE GROUP OF CASES IS OFFICIALLY CALLED 'OFFENSE' CASES, AND A SECOND GROUP 'PREVENTION' CASES. FOR THE 6-MONTH PERIOD STARTING JANUARY 1 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 1974, DETAILED INFORMATION WAS RECORDED ON EVERY NEW REFERRAL OF AGE 10 TO 17. ALSO, A NUMBER OF 'OFFENSE' (30) AND 'PREVENTION' (46) CASES WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED AND FURTHER INVESTIGATED BY INTERVIEWING THE PARENTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT, OF THOSE REFERRED TO THE JUVENILE AUTHORITIES OF ATHENS AND CHARGED WITH OFFENSES, THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER WERE BOYS OF 16 TO 17 WHO GENERALLY HAD SATISFACTORY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND WORK ADJUSTMENT AND CAME FROM NORMAL FAMILIES. THE GROUP REFERRED TO THE COURT WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT BEHAVIOR HAD MANY FEATURES IN COMMON WITH DELINQUENT YOUTH. IN THIS GROUP, THE GIRLS OUTNUMBERED THE BOYS. TRAFFIC OFFENSES COMPRISED THE MAJORITY OF CHARGES. BOYS WERE FREQUENTLY CHARGED FOR HANGING OUT AT POOLROOMS. THERE WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF AGGRESSIVE CRIMES COMMITTED BY THOSE CHARGED. PROMINENT AMONG THOSE REFERRED WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR WERE GIRLS CONSIDERED OUT OF PARENTAL CONTROL IN MIXING WITH MALES. COMPLAINTS ABOUT DISOBEDIENCE TO PARENTS WERE FREQUENT FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS. FOLLOWING THE FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT, ONLY VERY FEW OF THOSE REFERRED WERE SENT TO CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. MOST OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS FOR WHOM COMPLAINTS WERE REGISTERED WERE REFERRED BY THE PARENTS. THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF MOST OF THESE PARENTS IS CONSIDERED LOW. FROM THE DATA GATHERED, AFTER ELIMINATING TRAFFIC OFFENSES, THE INCIDENCE RATE OF DELINQUENCY IN GREECE IS 0.5 PERCENT. TABLES OF DATA ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)