JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

• NCJ Number: 58098
• Journal: Pediatric Clinics of North America Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUGUST 1975) Pages: 673-684
• Author(s): I B WEINER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: W B Saunders Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF DELINQUENCY: SOCIOLOGICAL, CHARACTEROLOGICAL, AND NEUROTIC.

Abstract

SOCIOLOGICAL DELINQUENCY CONSISTS OF ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR THAT EMERGES IN THE CONTEXT OF A SUBCULTURE IN WHICH THE MEMBERS SHARE ANTISOCIAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. SOCIOLOGICAL DELINQUENCY ALSO INCLUDES MOTIVATED GOAL-ORIENTED BEHAVIOR LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE. CHARACTEROLOGICAL DELINQUENCY CONSISTS OF ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR THAT REFLECTS AN ESSENTIALLY ASOCIAL PERSONALITY ORIENTATION. THIS TYPE IS A LONER WHOSE ACTS REPRESENT NOT AN INTENT TO BREAK THE LAW, BUT RATHER AN INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE OF HIS DISREGARD FOR THE FEELINGS AND RIGHTS OF OTHERS. THE THIRD TYPE, THE NEUROTIC DELINQUENT, COMMITS ILLEGAL ACTS NOT AS A WELL-INTEGRATED MEMBER OF A SUBCULTURE OR IN CONNECTION WITH LONG-STANDING PATHOLOGY, BUT AS A PERSONAL ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE NEEDS THAT HE IS UNABLE TO IMPRESS ON HIS ENVIRONMENT IN OTHER WAYS. FOR THE FIRST TYPE OF DELINQUENCY, THE BEST FORM OF TREATMENT IS THROUGH SOCIAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS JOB TRAINING. FOR THE SECOND TYPE LONG-TERM PSYCHOTHERAPY IS NEEDED BEFORE IT CRYSTALLIZES INTO ADULT PROPORTIONS. THE THIRD TYPE CAN BE TREATED THROUGH PSYCHOTHERAPY, WHICH IF PROMPTLY INSTITUTED HAS A GOOD LIKELIHOOD OF ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR. IT IS IN INSTANCES OF NEUROTIC DELINQUENCY THAT THE PEDIATRICIAN IS MOST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION. ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY EVEN BRIEF PSYCHOTHERAPY CAN PRODUCE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN NEUROTICALLY DELINQUENT JUVENILES IS THAT THE VERY FACT OF HIS BEING BROUGHT OR SENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION AND RECEIVING SUCH ATTENTION MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY HIS NEEDS FOR RECOGNITION OR HELP. THE PEDIATRICIAN'S ROLE IN RESPONDING TO DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN THE THREE TYPES AND SEE THAT THE PROPER TYPE OF INTERVENTION IS MADE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (STB)