NCJ Number
67326
Date Published
1975
Length
10 pages
Annotation
INACCURACIES IN IMAGES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND REPRESSIVE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IT IS ARGUED THAT 'JUVENILE DELINQUENCY' IS USED SYNONYMOUSLY WITH 'JUVENILE OFFENSES' TO AROUSE FEAR. IN REALITY, JUVENILE OFFENSES ARE MOST COMMONLY THEFTS BUT CAN ALSO INCLUDE VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS. THE LARGE NUMBER OF THEFTS IS CONSIDERED THE RESULT OF A MATERIALISTIC SOCIETY WHICH TOUTS FRIVOLOUS OBJECTS AS NECESSITIES. CRIMES OTHER THAN SUICIDE ARE RARELY COMMITTED BY GIRLS, WHOSE SOCIAL OPTIONS EVEN IN THIS AREA ARE LIMITED. ADULTS ARE INTOLERANT OF JUVENILE BEHAVIOR, LABELING YOUTHS AS 'DELINQUENT' WHEN THEY APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE, WHETHER A REAL CRIME OR A MINOR INFRACTION HAS BEEN PERPETRATED. SUCH ADOLESCENTS MAY IN FACT BE SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF DEPRIVED SOCIAL AND FAMILIAL ENVIRONMENTS. ATTEMPTS TO DEVELOP STANDARD PROFILES OF DELINQUENTS ARE VIEWED AS SOCIETY'S MEANS OF PROVING THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BIOLOGICALLY OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY 'DIFFERENT.' ALTHOUGH THE CREATION OF JUVENILE COURTS AND THE REFORM OF JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS IN 1958 HAVE IMPROVED THE TREATMENT SYSTEM IN THEORY, PRACTICE HAS LAGGED BEHIND BECAUSE OPEN, THERAPEUTIC PRISONS FOR JUVENILES ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO RUN THAN CLOSED FACILITIES AND BECAUSE POLICE TEND TO DETAIN ADOLESCENTS UNNECESSARILY. PSYCHOTHERAPISTS ATTRIBUTE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY SIMPLY TO AN EXCESS OF FRUSTRATION, AND SOCIETY SEEKS TO REDUCE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF YOUTHS ONLY TO DEFEND ITSELF, SO THAT INVOLUNTARY RESOCIALIZATION ACTUALLY BECOMES A FORM OF PUNISHMENT. HOWEVER, EXCESSIVE REPRESSION FOR OFFENSES SUCH AS SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND THEFT MAY PRODUCE SECONDARY EFFECTS SUCH AS ADDICTION, NEUROSIS, AND PSYCHOSIS. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)