NCJ Number
45150
Date Published
1977
Length
31 pages
Annotation
THE CHARACTERISTICS AND NEEDS OF HARD-CORE JUVENILE OFFENDERS ARE EXAMINED, AND APPROACHES TO CONTROLLING AND MODIFYING THE BEHAVIOR OF SUCH DELINQUENTS ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
THOUGH RELATIVELY FEW IN NUMBER, HARD-CORE JUVENILE OFFENDERS POSE A CONTINUOUS THREAT TO THE INSTITUTIONS WHERE THEY LIVE AND TO THE ADJACENT COMMUNITIES. THE TYPICAL HARD-CORE, HYPERAGGRESSIVE DELINQUENT IS BURDENED WITH SPECIAL PROBLEMS; HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR; HAS ACQUIRED DEEPLY ROOTED ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES AND VALUES; HAS A PERSONALITY THAT IS AGITATED, HOSTILE, AND ALIENATED; IS A HABITUAL LAW VIOLATOR AND RUNAWAY; AND (SOMETIMES) IS SUPERFICIALLY PASSIVE AND SUAVE. ISSUES OF DEFINITION, POLICY AND PLANNING, LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS, RESEARCH, ARCHITECTURE, AND PROGRAMMING RELATED TO THE CARE AND CONTROL OF HARE-CORE DELINQUENTS ARE DISCUSSED. THE NEED FOR STUDIES OF THE NEUROLOGICAL (AS OPPOSED TO PSYCHOSOCIAL) BASIS OF HARD-CORE DELINQUENCY, THE ROLE OF DRUGS ON DIAGNOSING AND TREATING HYPERAGGRESSIVE YOUTHS, AND THE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA ON JUVENILE VIOLENCE IS POINTED OUT. THE TREATMENT NEEDS OF HARD-CORE DELINQUENTS ARE DISCUSSED. LEGAL AND CORRECTIONAL APPROACHES TO DEALING WITH HARD-CORE DELINQUENTS ARE DESCRIBED. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS SAID TO BE THE LOGICAL POINT OF DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER STUDY OF THE PROBLEM.