NCJ Number
50996
Date Published
1975
Length
204 pages
Annotation
INTERVIEWS HELD WITH 165 BOYS WITH VARYING DEGREES OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TESTED MATZA'S THEORY THAT THE SYSTEM ACCELERATES ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES. THE OPPOSITE WAS FOUND.
Abstract
RESPONSES TO THE OPEN-ENDED INTERVIEWS WERE COMPARED WITH RESPONSES FROM 165 CONTROLS, BOYS MATCHED FOR AGE AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES WHO HAD NEVER HAD CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. ALL LIVED IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. FOLLOWING A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF MATZA'S THEORY OF 'DELINQUENCY AND DRIFT,' SURVEY FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED IN TABULAR AND NARRATIVE FORM. CONTRARY TO MATZA'S THEORY, CLIENTS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM DO NOT HAVE MORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD EITHER THE JUSTICE SYSTEM OR SOCIETY. BOYS WITH SEVERAL ARRESTS OR OTHER JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM EXPERIENCES HAVE A SLIGHTLY MORE CYNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD PROBATION OFFICERS, BUT ARE AS POSITIVE ABOUT POLICE AND JUDGES AS ARE CONTROLS OR LESS EXPERIENCED CLIENTS. JUDGES RECEIVED THE HIGHEST RATINGS FROM ALL OFFENDERS AND WERE PERCEIVED MORE FAVORABLY BY SYSTEM CLIENTS THAN BY BOYS WITHOUT COURT EXPERIENCE. NONE OF THE BOYS GAVE THE VARIOUS AGENCIES AS HIGH A RATING AS DID THE AGENCY PROFESSIONALS. ALSO THE BOYS WERE AS AWARE AS THE PROFESSIONALS OF AGENCY SHORTCOMINGS. POLICE RECEIVED THE MOST CRITICISM. ABOUT 10 PERCENT FELT POLICE TREATED THEM IN A DISCRIMINATORY MANNER, 13 STATED THEY WERE INNOCENT, AND A SMALL NUMBER COMPLAINED OF PHYSICAL ABUSE. OLDER BOYS WERE MORE LIKELY TO SEE THE POLICE AS 'DOING A JOB.' PROBATION OFFICERS WERE SEEN AS TRYING TO HELP BUT INEFFECTIVE. A FEW OF THE BOYS HAD NOT SEEN THEIR PROBATION OFFICER ENOUGH TO COMMENT. NONWHITES WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE BUT NOT JUDGES AND PROBATION OFFICERS. CONTRARY TO MATZA'S THEORY, THE YOUTHS UNDERSTOOD REASONS BEHIND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS AND APPRECIATED IT. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE AND REFERENCES. (GLR)