NCJ Number
69267
Date Published
1979
Length
148 pages
Annotation
THE EXTENT AND TYPES OF JUVENILE CRIME IN HAMBURG FROM 1975 TO 1978 ARE DISCUSSED ON THE BASIS OF POLICE CRIME STATISTICS.
Abstract
MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF SUSPECTED OFFENDERS IN HAMBURG IN 1978 WERE CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, OR YOUNG ADULTS; 14 TO 21-YEAR-OLDS WERE OVERREPRESENTED WITH 24.1 PERCENT OF TOTAL OFFENSES. CRIME RATES INCREASED CONSIDERABLY FOR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY GIRLS. INACCURACIES IN STATISTICS RESULTED FROM MULTIPLE OFFENSES BY THE SAME OFFENDERS COUNTED SEPARATELY AND FROM HIGH UNREPORTED CRIME RATES, PARTICULARLY FOR OFFENSES SUCH AS THREATS. QUANTITATIVELY, PROPERTY CRIMES, E.G., SHOPLIFTING, MOTOR BIKE THEFT, AND AUTO THEFT, WERE MOST COMMON, FOLLOWED BY VANDALISM, PHYSICAL INJURY, DRUG CRIMES AND SEXUAL OFFENSES. PHYSICAL CRIMES REFLECTED THE NEED OF CHILDREN TO EXHIBIT THEIR STRENGTH; GANG CRIMES TENDED TO BE COMMITTED AS TESTS OF COURAGE OR FOR SPORT. EXTENSIVE STATISTICS BROKEN DOWN BY YOUNG ADULTS, MATURE ADOLESCENTS, AND MINORS (JUVENILES OR CHILDREN) ARE PRESENTED FOR THEFT; SHOPLIFTING; THEFT IN OR FROM BUSINESS OFFICES, PLANTS, STOREROOMS, AND KIOSKS; AUTO-RELATED THEFTS, THEFTS IN OR FROM PRIVATE RESIDENCES; THEFTS IN OR FROM BASEMENTS AND LAUNDRY ROOMS, AUTOMAT THEFTS, USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHOUT PAYING, BODILY INJURIES, RAPE, OFFENSES AGAINST SEXUAL SELF-DETERMINATION, AND ARSON. STATISTICS ON JUVENILE OFFENSES RELATED TO 'ROCKER' ACTIVITIES, NEW RELIGIOUS SECTS, SUICIDES, AND DRUG ADDICTION OR ALCOHOLISM ARE ALSO PRESENTED. THE MASS MEDIA, ESPECIALLY TELEVISION, DO NOT SEEM TO 'CAUSE' CRIME BUT DO EXERT NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON JUVENILES ALREADY INCLINED TO DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. THE EFFECTS OF TELEVISION ON SMALL CHILDREN APPEARS TO BE GREATER THAN ON JUVENILES, BECAUSE TELEVISION HAS LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THEM. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND EXTENSIVE TABLES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN.