JUVENILE DELINQUENCY - A MISNOMER (FROM JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM - NEW DIRECTIONS IN POLICY AND PROGRAMS, 1977, BY PETER J ECK AND BRENDA BRADSHAW - SEE NCJ-56707)

• NCJ Number: 56712
• Author(s): W G SMITH
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Texas at Arlington
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO JUVENILE VIOLENCE AND DELINQUENCY ARE IDENTIFIED AND TARGETED FOR PROGRAMS OF CRIME PREVENTION.

Abstract

AMERICAN CULTURE IS PERVADED BY DAILY EXPOSURE TO VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, BOTH IN REALITY AND FANTASY. THE MASS MEDIA OF TELEVISION, MOVIES, COMIC BOOKS, AND EVEN FAIRY TALES PORTRAY VIOLENCE AS A NORMAL AND REGULAR PART OF LIFE TO CHILDREN WHOSE MINDS HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FANTASY AND REALITY. SLUMS, POVERTY, AND DEPRIVATION, ON THE OTHER HAND, CREATE A REAL WORLD WHICH THREATENS LOSS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL IDENTITY AND PHYSICAL SURVIVAL FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN IT. VIOLENCE, MENTAL ILLNESS, DRUG ABUSE, AND GENERALLY ANTISOCIAL VALUES ARE THE PREDICTABLE RESULTS OF SUCH CONDITIONS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG TEENAGERS, PARTICULARLY BLACKS, CONTRIBUTES TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR DUE TO A LACK OF STRUCTURE FOR ACHIEVING SECURITY AND STATUS IN NORMATIVE SOCIETY. FOR THESE UNDEREDUCATED AND UNSKILLED PEOPLE, CRIME IS THE SURVIVAL PATTERN OF THEIR WORLD, AND ONCE A CRIMINAL RECORD HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, ESCAPE FROM THAT WORLD IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY. THE VICTIMS OF URBAN POVERTY WHO CONTACT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE FURTHER FRUSTRATED AND INFURIATED WHEN THEY OBSERVE THE DUAL SYSTEM OF JUSTICE--ONE FOR POOR BLACKS AND ANOTHER FOR WHITES WITH SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. WHILE 'WHITE-COLLAR' CRIMES (EMBEZZLEMENT, FRAUD, ETC.) INVOLVE FAR MORE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAN 'STREET' PROPERTY CRIMES (ROBBERY, BURGLARY) THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS, AND THE SEVERITY OF SENTENCES ARE FAR LESS THAN FOR 'STREET' CRIMES. THIS CONDITION ONLY INCREASES THE FRUSTRATION AND HOSTILITY OF POOR BLACKS TOWARD THE DOMINANT SYSTEM. OVERALL, BOTH THE POOR AND THE WEALTHY, WHITES AND BLACKS ARE SURROUNDED BY NUMEROUS POCKETS OF FAMILY, SOCIAL, AND VOCATIONAL INFLUENCES WHICH JUSTIFY CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FOR OBTAINING GOALS. BELIEVING THE AFOREMENTIONED FACTORS TO BE CENTRAL IN FOSTERING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, HAS SOUGHT TO INFLUENCE SCHOOLS, THE MASS MEDIA, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS FOR POSITIVE REFORM. DETAILS OF THE PROGRAMS ARE NOT INCLUDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE NCJ 56707-56711 AND 56713-56717. REFERENCE NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)