YOUTH AS A CRIME GENERATING PHENOMENA (FROM NEW PERSPECTIVES IN CRIMINOLOGY BY W T HAESLER, 1975 - SEE NCJ-37174)

• NCJ Number: 37181
• Author(s): N CHRISTIE
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Techniken
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Switzerland

Annotation

AGE IS DISCUSSED AS A SOCIAL CATEGORY WHICH BELONGS TO THE SAME CLASS OF ASCRIBED ATTRIBUTES AS SEX AND RACE.

Abstract

IT IS SOCIALLY MORE USEFUL, SINCE IT REPRESENTS A CONTINUOUS VARIABLE EASILY MANIPULATED BY THE SOCIAL SYSTEM. INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETIES HAVE DIFFICULTY INTEGRATING YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE INSTITUTION OF WORK. THE GRADUAL EXTENSION OF THE PERIOD OF YOUTH CAN BE SEEN AS AN ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. YOUTH CAN BE REGARDED AS A SEGREGATED GROUP. SEGREGATED GROUPS ARE, HOWEVER, PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THEY DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH TO LOSE, THEY TEND TO CREATE COHESIVE SUBSYSTEMS, AND THEY ARE HANDICAPPED IN FINDING ROLE-MODELS OUTSIDE THEIR OWN CATEGORIES. TOGETHER, THESE TENDENCIES CREATE A SITUATION WITH GREATLY INCREASED RISK FOR CONFLICTS WITH THE FORMAL SYSTEM OF CONTROL. EMPIRICAL DATA ILLUSTRATE THESE CONFLICTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)