NCJ Number
52394
Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1975) Pages: 43-51
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SOCIALIZATION IN THE FAMILY AS A FACTOR IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS DISCUSSED. RESEARCHERS ARE URGED TO CONTROL FOR SOCIALIZATION IN THEIR STUDIES OF OTHER DELINQUENCY CAUSES.
Abstract
A LITERATURE REVIEW POINTS OUT NUMEROUS STUDIES VERIFYING THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INFLUENCES ON A PERSON'S BEHAVIOR PATTERNS. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTS OF ATTACHMENT TO THE PARENT AND PARENTAL GUIDANCE ARE DISCUSSED. THE IMPORTANCE OF GUIDANCE ON LATER MORAL VALUES IS ASSESSED AND STUDIES ON THIS RELATIONSHIP ARE QUOTED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THIS EARLY SOCIALIZATION INTERACTS WITH OTHER DELINQUENCY CAUSES AND MAY HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT, THUS, A PEER GROUP WITH LITTLE COMMITMENT TO MORAL VALUES IS A POOR MEDIUM FOR SOCIALIZATION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOWER CRIME RATE FOR FEMALES MAY BE EXPLAINED PARTIALLY BY THE STRONGER SOCIALIZATION THEY CUSTOMARILY RECEIVE. STUDIES OF LEARNING DISABILITIES, SOCIETAL PRESSURES, OR OTHER POSSIBLE FACTORS IN DELINQUENCY MUST CONTROL FOR THIS SOCIALIZATION FACTOR TO BE VALID. THE RELATIVE WEIGHT OF EARLY SOCIALIZATION AND IMMEDIATE SOCIETAL PRESSURE MAY VARY CONSIDERABLY IN GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL TERMS. THE SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITY AND MORAL PLURALISM OF NORTH AMERICA IS CONTRASTED WITH THE HOMOGENEITY OF NEW ZEALAND. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (GLR)