NCJ Number
53012
Journal
VICTORIAN STUDIES Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1973) Pages: 7-29
Date Published
1973
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE 19TH CENTURY IS TRACED FROM ITS ORIGINS IN EARLY PRISON REFORM MOVEMENTS TO ITS DEFINITION AND TREATMENT AS A RESULT OF MID-CENTURY URBAN STUDIES IN ENGLAND.
Abstract
IN THE LATE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH CENTURIES, LITTLE DIFFERENTIATION EXISTED BETWEEN JUVENILE AND ADULT CRIMINALS. OFFENDERS WERE ADJUDGED AND PUNISHED ON THE BASIS OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE, WITH YOUNG AND OLD OFFENDERS ALIKE BEING SENTENCED TO DEATH, TRANSPORTATION, AND IMPRISONMENT. ALTHOUGH REFORMERS SOON MOVED TO HAVE JUVENILES TREATED SEPARATELY FROM ADULTS, ARGUING THAT EQUAL TREATMENT AND CONTACT ONLY SERVED TO CREATE AND AGGRAVATE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR, THIS NEW FOCUS ON THE CRIMINAL RATHER THAN THE CRIME HAD AN UNEXPECTED EFFECT--THE EXISTENCE OF A CLASS OF YOUNG CRIMINAL OFFENDERS WAS EXPOSED. WHILE THESE ATTEMPTS AT PRISON REFORM POINTED UP DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUNG OFFENDERS AND ADULTS, OTHER DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTED THE EXISTENCE OF A LARGE GROUP OF CHILDREN WHO, THOUGH NOT TECHNICALLY LAWBREAKERS, SHARED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG CRIMINALS. NOTABLE INCREASES IN CRIME HAD LEAD TO THE INTENSE STUDY OF CRIMINAL ENVIRONMENTS, PARTICULARLY THE CITIES, IN THE HOPE OF IDENTIFYING THE CAUSAL FACTORS INVOLVED. EARLY CRIMINOLOGIC RESEARCHERS, IN THEIR SEARCH FOR VARIFIABLE FACTS AND PATTERNS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, ELABORATED THE FIRST CLEAR PICTURE OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. VIRTUAL 'HOARDS' OF VICE RIDDEN YOUTH, GIVEN TO FOUL LANGUAGE, GAMBLING, AND DEBAUCHERY, WERE OBSERVED IN THE URBAN SLUMS. DEMANDS FOR REMEDIAL ACTION FOLLOWED THIS DISCOVERY, AND AS THE LACK OF PARENTAL CARE WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE OBVIOUS CAUSE OF SUCH WAYWARDNESS, INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS REFORMATORIES AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS WERE ESTABLISHED AND PERMITTED TO ENCROACH ON PARENTAL FREEDOM, IMPOSING MIDDLE-CLASS STANDARDS OF CHILDREARING ON LOWER CLASS PARENTS. SINCE THE CHILDREN FROM THE SLUMS, THE GOVERNMENT ARGUED, COMPRISED THE RANKS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, THEN SURELY MIDDLE-CLASS MORALITY ALONE IS CAPABLE OF MITIGATING SUCH BEHAVIOR. ALTHOUGH PRACTICAL ADMINISTRATION OF THESE IDEALS PROVED ANOTHER MATTER--EARLY OPTIMISM WAS OFTEN LOST--THE PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL INVESTIGATORS PREVAILED, PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHING JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AS A SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL CLASS OF OFFENDER. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (KBL)