What Does the Literature Say About the Correlation Between Child Abuse and Juvenile Delinquency?

• NCJ Number: 125282
• Author(s): C Morton
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Education
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Literature reviews indicate that juvenile delinquents are often products of families that consciously or unconsciously neglect their childhood needs.

Abstract

Researchers have noted that in the home of the delinquent there is often negative interpersonal relationships with family members. This often is a beginning of their role as a negative member of society because of the development of poor self-concept. Corporal punishment by parents often leads to overt and aggressive misbehavior. Neglect and extreme punishment can cause children to become rebellious adolescents who use misbehavior to "pay back" the family. Data from several juvenile court case studies dealing with emotional disturbances and clinical investigations suggest a strong relationship between family socioeconomic status and delinquent behavior. Lower-class children are more exposed to punishment, lack of love, and a general attitude of tension and aggression from early childhood. The juvenile delinquent is often a product of a family that either unconsciously neglects childhood needs or is too involved in their own personal and/or financial problems to provide for needs. Bibliography.