BROKEN HOMES AND MIDDLE-CLASS DELINQUENCY - A COMPARISON

• NCJ Number: 62636
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1979) Pages: 395-400
• Author(s): R M GRINNELL; C A CHAMBERS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE THIRD ANNUAL PROGRAM MEETING OF THE TEXAS CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS, SEPTEMBER 29, 1978 IN DALLAS, TEXAS

Annotation

THIS RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A STUDY THAT EXAMINED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BROKEN HOMES AND MIDDLE-CLASS DELINQUENTS KNOWN TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Abstract

A GROUP OF WHITE MIDDLE-CLASS ADOLESCENTS WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE TOTAL POPULATION OF 7,793 JUVENILES IN CONTACT WITH AUTHORITIES IN 1973 OR 1976. A TOTAL OF 27 PERCENT WERE WHITE YOUTHS RESIDING IN HOMES WITH AN ANNUAL INCOME OF $10,000 OR MORE AND 80 PERCENT WERE MALE WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF 14.9 YEARS. LITTLE RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN BROKEN HOMES AND MIDDLE-CLASS DELINQUENCY. WHEN COMPARED TO ANOTHER STUDY ON THE SAME TOPIC, ZERO-ORDER CORRELATIONS BETWEEN HOME STATUS AND THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES DEFINING DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WERE EXTREMELY SMALL. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY WHICH SUBPOPULATIONS OF JUVENILES KNOWN TO AUTHORITIES ARE AFFECTED BY THE HOME SITUATION. REFERENCES ARE NOTED. (MJW)