JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, VALUE STANDARDS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS - AN EXAMINATION OF A NON-CLASS-SPECIFIC PERSPECTIVE

• NCJ Number: 40769
• Author(s): S A CERNKOVICH
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 231 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY - DISSERTATION

Annotation

THIS STUDY SEEKS A GENERAL, NON-CLASS-SPECIFIC EXPLANATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ACROSS SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA.

Abstract

THE STUDY ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE AN EMPIRICALLY VALIDATED ALTERNATIVE TO THE CLASS-BASED THEORIES THAT CHARACTERIZE THE SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. SPECIFICALLY, THE CONCEPT OF VALUE STANDARDS, AS CULTURAL RULES GUIDING THE SELECTION AMONG ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION, IS PROPOSED AS THE KEY VARIABLE IN ACCOUNTING FOR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN A VARIETY OF SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA. THE MAJOR HYPOTHESIS EXPLORES THE EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, CULTURE VALUE STANDARDS, AND DELINQUENCY INVOLVEMENT. A SELF ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE DISTRIBUTED TO MALE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GENERATED THE DATA FOR TESTING THE PROPOSED CAUSAL MODEL. THE RELEVANT LITERATURE IS CRITICALLY REVIEWED. THE SAMPLE, SAMPLING PROCEDURE, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARGET POPULATION ARE DISCUSSED. THE DOMINANT TECHNIQUES OF DATA ANALYSIS ARE PRESENTED AND THE DISSERTATION CONCLUDES WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH DATA AND A SUMMARY. A SAMPLE SURVEY IS INCLUDED....MSP