JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND THE SCHOOL - AN APPLICATION OF CONTROL THEORY

• NCJ Number: 16243
• Author(s): D M COLOMBANO
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 191 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-03-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY, IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A THEORETICAL MODEL OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CAUSATION, EXAMINES THE EXTENT TO WHICH SUCH FACTORS AS SOCIAL BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS AND SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AFFECT DELINQUENCY PROBABILITY.

Abstract

A PERSPECTIVE WAS PRESENTED DEVELOPED FROM CONTROL THEORY THAT IS BELIEVED TO BE A VIABLE EXPLANANTORY SCHEME. THE MODEL WAS TESTED ON A SAMPLE OF 923 HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES IN A METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. SCHOOL EXPERIENCES WERE FOUND TO BE A STRONGER PREDICTORS OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR THAN EITHER RACE, SOCIAL CLASS, OR THE QUALITY OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. THE FINDINGS ALSO INDICATED THAT STUDENTS' LEVELS OF COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL, WHICH EMANATE FROM THE NATURE OF SCHOOL-PUPIL INTERACTION PROCESSES, ARE AN IMPORTANT ETIOLOGICAL FACTOR IN DELINQUENCY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT COMMITMENTS MADE WITHIN THE SCHOOL CONTEXT SERVE TO HOLD THE ADOLESCENT WITHIN THE LEGITIMATE SYSTEM AND THAT COMMITMENTS MADE IN OTHER RELEVANT CONTEXTS MAY SERVE A SIMILAR CONTROLLING FUNCTION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)