BRIGHT DELINQUENTS - THE STORY OF A UNIQUE SCHOOL (A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF THE OUTCOME OF THE WORK OF KNEESWORTH HALL SCHOOL, 1953-1970)

• NCJ Number: 19110
• Author(s): R BROOKS
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 175 pages
• Corporate Author: National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales
• Sale Source: National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

RESULTS OF A TEN-YEAR FOLLOW UP STUDY OF 135 POTENTIALLY ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE DELINQUENTS, UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL FACTORS WHICH MAY AFFECT FUTURE DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR.

Abstract

THE SUBJECTS OF THE STUDY WERE THOSE BOYS WHO WERE ADMITTED TO KNEESWORTH HALL SCHOOL (A TRAINING SCHOOL FOR DELINQUENTS OF HIGH INTELLIGENCE) AFTER JANUARY 1, 1953 WHO WERE PLACED OUT ON LICENCE OR UNDER SUPERVISION UP TO DECEMBER 31, 1960. A TOTAL OF 135 BOYS MET ALL THE STUDY REQUIREMENTS. DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM THE KNEESWORTH HALL FILES, PROVATION REPORTS, AND POLICE RECORDS. THE BOYS WERE CLASSIFIED INTO TWO GROUPS, AND COMPARED. THE FIRST GROUP, INCLUDING 67 BOYS, CONSISTED OF THOSE WHO COMMITTED NO OFFENSES OR ONLY ONE MINOR MISDEMEANOR DURING THE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. THE SECOND GROUP, WHICH CONTAINED 68 BOYS, CONSISTED OF THOSE CONVICTED OF MORE THAN ONE MINOR MISDEMEANOR. THESE GROUPS WERE THEN COMPARED WITH RESPECT TO SOCIAL BACKGROUND, RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENTS, STABILITY OF HOME ENVIRONMENT, DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE HOME, SIZE OF FAMILIES, SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, INTELLIGENCE LEVELS, AND DELINQUENT HISTORY. SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER INCIDENCES OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS WERE NOTED FOR THE SECOND RECIDIVIST GROUP: DEFECTIVE FATHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS, UNSTABLE HOME ENVIRONMENTS, OVER-STRICT OR INCONSISTENT DISCIPLINE, AND LARGER FAMILIES. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT ARE A DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE KNNESWORTH HALL SCHOOL AND SEVERAL CASE STUDIES OF YOUTHS IN THE SCHOOL.