NCJ Number
70512
Editor(s)
A Parizeau
Date Published
1977
Length
23 pages
Annotation
These seminar proceedings contain papers primarily from Poland regarding the constructive use of leisure time activities as a way for preventing juvenile delinquency and promoting social reintegration for such youths.
Abstract
Discussions argue that if youths can develop leisure time activities that stimulate their creativity and expand their cultural understanding, or that challenge their intellectual understanding, perhaps they can be prevented from deviant behavior, and thus, that criminality in general can be averted. The influence of leisure and leisure time activities on the deviancy of Polish youth is analyzed with a view toward preventing juvenile delinquency through better management of leisure time activities. Several studies investigate how Polish juvenile delinquents and nondelinquent juveniles spend their free time, with suggestions for delinquency prevention. A look at directed, psycho-motor recreation contends that such forms of activity for leisure time can contribute to personality and value development. A plea is made to Polish schools and youth associations to improve and expand their organized extracurricular and recreational activities to meet the desires and needs of contemporary youth. Guidelines are proposed for the coordination of 'free-time' activities for socially deviant and intellectually disadvantaged youths in Polish institutions. Relationships among running away, behavior during the escapade, and the child's environment are explored for signs of the influence of temperamental traits (excitability) on such behavior. Several studies are reported regarding the success of amateur hobby or artistic clubs (especially music) in involving youths in constructive leisure time activities. A further study examines the assumption that changes in attitudes towards other people can serve as an indicator of the effectiveness of resocialization attempts on juvenile delinquents. Several of the papers provide references, tables, or graphs. For related documents, see NCJ # 70513-24. --in French, Russian, and English.