Legacy of Domestic Violence: Juvenile Delinquency (From Practical Applications for Criminal Justice Statistics, P 107- 126, 1998, M.L. Dantzker and Arthur J. Lurigio, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-175404)

• NCJ Number: 175409
• Author(s): P W Rhoades; S L Parker
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the extent of experience with domestic violence among juvenile delinquents incarcerated in Oregon.

Abstract

A survey questionnaire was administered at one nonresidential and five residential juvenile treatment programs during spring and summer of 1981. A total of 191 juveniles volunteered to complete the questionnaire. The juveniles were queried about their involvement in 16 types of delinquency, family characteristics, the behavior of their male and female primary parents toward them while the parent was angry, and their observation of spousal abuse. The juvenile reported participation in from 1 to 16 different types of delinquency, ranging from runaway to murder. The juveniles reported considerable experience with domestic violence; 68 percent reported abusive discipline (kicking, hitting with a fist, and hitting or threatening with an object) from either one or both parents. When slapping and pushing were added, 85.8 percent reported experiencing physical discipline. A total of 36.6 percent reported witnessing spouse abuse by their male parent, and 18.8 percent by their female parent. Juveniles who reported the most extensive histories of experience and observation of domestic violence reported the greatest variety of participation in delinquency. Social control theory is discussed as an explanation of delinquency linked to domestic violence. 5 tables and 41 references