U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

COMPARISON OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND CHILDREN IN CARE - AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS

NCJ Number
7557
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1972) Pages: 281-286
Author(s)
J MCALLISTER; A MASON
Date Published
1972
Length
6 pages
Annotation
ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT ALTHOUGH JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND CHILDREN UNDER SOCIETAL CARE SHARE SIMILAR BACKGROUND VARIABLES THEY DIFFER IN THE DEGREE TO WHICH THIS IS SO.
Abstract
THE STUDY, CONDUCTED IN AN ENGLISH INDUSTRIAL TOWN, WAS AIMED TO TEST EARLIER FINDINGS THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND CHILD CARE CASES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF SUCH VARIABLES AS OVERCROWDING, SUB-STANDARD HOUSING, CHILD DENSITY, HIGH FERTILITY, LOW ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS. WITH WORDS ALTERED TO INDICATE THE MEANING, RESULTS INDICATED THAT CHILD CARE RATES ARE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE FEW HOMES WITH A CAR, MANY MEN ENGAGED IN MANUAL WORK, A RELATIVELY HIGH RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS LIKELY TO BE HIGHER IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS MORE OVERCROWDING, POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS, A HIGH BIRTH RATE, MANY CHILDREN UNDER 15, AND MORE PERSONS PER ACRE. THIS DOES NOT IMPLY THAT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY WILL BE NON-EXISTENT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE AND CHILD CARE RATED NON-EXISTENT IN THE SECOND INSTANCE. IT DOES IMPLY THAT THERE WILL BE SOME AREAS PARTICULARLY PRONE TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND SOME PARTICULARLY PRONE TO CHILD CARE CASES.