NCJ Number
68615
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 334 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 16-27
Date Published
1980
Length
12 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TRENDS IN SPAIN, COVERING THE SPECIFIC OFFENSES OF MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, ARMED ROBBERY, DRUG USE AND TRAFFICKING, AND CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
REASONS FOR CONSIDERING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AN IMPORTANT FOCUS FOR CRIMININOLOGICAL RESEARCH ARE OUTLINED. STATISTICS ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTHS IN THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO COMPARISONS AMONG AGE GROUPS AND BETWEEN MADRID AND THE PROVINCES. VARIOUS MOTIVES FOR STEALING VEHICLES ARE DISCUSSED, AS ARE WAYS IN WHICH LEGAL REFORMS INTENDED TO DISCOURAGE VEHICLE THEFT INSTEAD EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM. REASONS FOR THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS IN BANK ROBBERIES ARE CONSIDERED, TOGETHER WITH STATISTICS ON THE AGE DISTRIBUTION OF ARMED ROBBERS. TRENDS IN DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ALSO TRACED. THE EVOLUTION OF CRIMINAL GANGS IS DISCUSSED WITH EMPHASIS ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A GROUP AND A GANG. FINALLY, STATISTICS ON MULTIPLE-OFFENDER MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS ARE EXAMINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, SINCE 1968, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN SPAIN HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CHARACTERIZED BY INVOLVEMENT IN SERIOUS OFFENSES, USE OF WEAPONS, PARTICIPATION BY WOMEN, AND FORMATION OF CRIMINAL GANGS. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.