SELF-PORTRAITS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF ENVIRONMENT BY MORALLY DELINQUENT GIRLS

• NCJ Number: 60808
• Journal: Kriminologisches Journal Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (1978) Pages: 292-304
• Author(s): M KIEPER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: Juventa Verlag
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: German
• Country: West Germany (Former)

Annotation

A MODEL FOR INTERPRETING THE BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT OF MORALLY DELINQUENT GIRLS IS PRESENTED USING TEXTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH A GIRL IN A WEST GERMAN REFORMATORY.

Abstract

THE MODEL IS BASED ON THE GIRL'S OWN INTERPRETATION OF HERSELF, HER LIVING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND HER INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR, AS WELL AS ON HER REACTION TO THE INTERVIEW SITUATION. SELDOM USING GENERALIZATIONS, THE GIRL OUTLINES SOCIAL STRUCTURES IN HER LIFE (FAMILY, SCHOOL, INSTITUTIONS OUTSIDE SCHOOL, PEER GROUPS, REFORMATORIES) AND THE CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN HER LIFE; BEHAVIORAL EXPLANATIONS ARE CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTIVE CATEGORIES USED. AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE GIRL REACTS TO THE MOST IMPORTANT SETTINGS DURING ONE PORTION OF HER LIFE (A MEETING PLACE FOR PROSTITUTES, A PUB, AND HER SISTER'S HOME) ILLUSTRATES HOW SHE SEEKS A PROTECTOR IN EACH PLACE BUT AT THE SAME TIME ENJOYS THE ADVENTUROUS ASPECTS OF THE SITUATION. THE INTENSITY WITH WHICH THE GIRL TELLS FOUR VERY DRAMATIC STORIES (E.G., HOW SHE WAS RAPED BY A PIMP) AND HER COMMENTARY ON BASIC TYPES OF MEN (GOOD, LOYAL BUT BLOCKHEADED, BAD) SUGGEST THAT SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF A PERSON WHO HAS EXPERIENCED ADVENTURE BUT HAS NOW SETTLED DOWN (AN INTERPRETATION OF A 'NORMAL COURSE' WHICH AVOIDS STIGMATIZATION) AND THAT SHE LIKES TO BE DESIRED BY MANY MEN, REGARDLESS OF TYPE, SO THAT SHE CAN TYRANNIZE THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, SHE IS CAPABLE OF LOVING ONE GOOD MAN IF HE APPEALS TO HER. THE CONSTANT USE OF THE WORD 'NATURALLY' INDICATES THE GIRL'S ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS IN INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR AS THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS FOR WHICH NO EXPLANATION NEED BE SOUGHT. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE DEVIANT PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF THE GIRL AS PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORIES DO, THIS APPROACH ATTEMPTS TO USE THE GIRL'S DESCRIPTION OF HER DEVIANT BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF HER OWN LIFE TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE ACTED AS SHE DID. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)