HANDLING OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CASES

• NCJ Number: 64679
• Author(s): C G JANSON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 128 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Ford Foundation; Bank of Sweden Tercentary Foundation
• Corporate Author: University of Stockholm
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden
• Note: PROJECT METROPOLITAN RESEARCH REPORT NO 7

Annotation

TO DETERMINE WHETHER LABELING THEORY ADEQUATELY DESCRIBED DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT OF SWEDISH JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, THIS STUDY EXAMINED 813 CASES FROM THE FILES OF THE STOCKHOLM CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE.

Abstract

THE CASES REPRESENTED ALL MEMBERS OF A 1953 BIRTH COHORT HANDLED BY THE SOCIAL AUTHORITIES FROM 1966 TO THE DAY THE COHORT MEMBERS BECAME 16 YEARS OLD. THE 813 CASES INVOLVED 543 INDIVIDUALS. IN OVER THREE-QUARTERS OF THE CASES, THE TREATMENT WAS KEPT AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE TREATMENT IN PROCESS AT THE TIME OF THE DECISION BY THE CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE. TREATMENTS INCLUDED NO TREATMENT, SUPERVISION, SOCIAL CARE OTHER THAN REFORM SCHOOL, AND REFORM SCHOOL. THE TREATMENT LEVEL WAS INCREASED 1 STEP IN 19 PERCENT OF THE CASES. TREATMENT IN PROGRESS ACCOUNTED FOR HALF THE VARIANCE IN THE TREATMENT DECISION. WHEN TREATMENT IN PROGRESS WAS CONTROLLED, ABOUT 45 PERCENT OF THE REMAINING VARIANCE RESULTED FROM CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DELINQUENT ACTS, OTHER PROBLEM BEHAVIOR, PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND FAMILY CONDITIONS. SOCIAL BACKGROUND (SOCIAL CLASS, ETHNIC GROUP, FAMILY DEPENDENCY) CONTRIBUTED LITTLE TO THE VARIANCE. RESULTS DID NOT SUPPORT THE LABELING THEORY. RESULTS ALSO SHOWED THAT THE CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE INTERVENES RATHER CAUTIOUSLY IN DELINQUENCY CASES. A DISCUSSION OF METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS, TABLES, ABOUT 65 REFERENCES AND AN APPENDIX PRESENTING A LIST OF VARIABLES USED ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)