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Juvenile Offenders Who Become Adult Criminals

NCJ Number
82103
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1981) Pages: 1-5
Author(s)
J R Scanlon; L Webb
Date Published
1982
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This paper examines five factors related to recidivism among juvenile offenders; race, urban-rural residence, parental presence, type of juvenile crime, and length of imprisonment.
Abstract
It analyzes data on juvenile commitments and adult prison sentences in Georgia from 1975-80. A total of 26.4 percent of the sample youths became recidivists. Blacks, urban residents, those from single-parent families, those who were property offenders as juveniles, and those who had spent over 3 years in juvenile corrections had significantly high recidivism rates. These findings indicate that recidivism rates depend on a variety of factors. These varying rates can be used to better analyze service delivery needs and the potential recidivism risk of subgroups of juvenile offenders. Stereotyping should be avoided. The paper outlines a few program modifications policymakers should make. Study data and 10 references are included.