Values of Personal Wellbeing and of Harming Society Among Delinquent and Non-delinquent Youth

• NCJ Number: 75516
• Journal: ISRAEL ANNALS OF PSYCHIATRY AND RELATED DISCIPLINES Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1979) Pages: 36-44
• Author(s): D Elizur
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Israel

Annotation

A study of the values of juvenile delinquents in Israel compared with those of a nondelinquent population showed no major differences in the populations, thus supporting the drift theory rather than the subculture of delinquency that had been hypothesized.

Abstract

The delinquent population consisted of 89 inmates of correctional facilities who were randomly selected to participate in the study, and the nondelinquent population consisted of 5,000 Israeli high school students. Six values related to harming Israeli society were included in the study. These were causing property damage, taking drugs, disobeying policemen, stealing from the rich, abandoning the Jewish faith, and emigrating from Israel. The values concerning well-being that were studied were high achievement in school, having an attractive appearance, and peer acceptance. Two additional values, achievement in vocational training and strength, were applied to the delinquent population only. Comparisons were made by comparing marginal distributions and by structural analysis through smallest space analysis. The comparison of marginal distributions showed no major differences except in the harming society comparison; more delinquents were inclined to believe that their negative conduct did not harm society than were nondelinquents. The comparison of well-being values showed that delinquents and nondelinquents considered achievement in vocational training programs or school to be important, while the value of being strong was not that important to the delinquent population. Mapping the interrelations among the values of harming Israeli society demonstrated that the structure of the interrelationships for both groups was similar. Since the subculture of delinquency theory posits that the values of delinquents will be the opposite of conventional values, that theory finds no support in this study. More research is needed to determine if this trend is peculiar to Israel and if the socialization process inherent in incarceration affects the answers of the delinquent population. Data tables and a reading list are included.