MEASURING DELINQUENCY THROUGH SELF-REPORT INSTRUMENTS A BIBLIOGRAPHIC ESSAY

• NCJ Number: 53434
• Author(s): J M BURCART
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 51 pages
• Corporate Author: Institute of Policy Analysis
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF SELF-REPORT MEASUREMENTS OF DELINQUENCY, THE VALIDITY OF SELF-REPORT INSTRUMENTS, AND THE ADMINISTERING OF SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES ARE DISCUSSED, USING EXISTING STUDY RESULTS.

Abstract

OFFICIAL DATA ON DELINQUENCY, DERIVED FROM JUVENILE CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IS REGARDED AS AN INADEQUATE MEASURE OF THE AMOUNT AND TYPE OF DELINQUENCY ACTUALLY BEING COMMITTED. THIS POSITION IS SUPPORTED BY A COMPARATIVE CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUES OF GANG ACTIVITY VERSUS LONE DELINQUENCY, THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF DELINQUENCY BY SEX, AND DELINQUENCY BY CLASS AND RACE AS REVEALED BY BOTH OFFICIAL STATISTICS AND THE FINDINGS OF SELF-REPORT STUDIES. A SIGNIFICANT DIVERGENCE IN FINDINGS BETWEEN THE TWO METHODS OF GATHERING STATISTICS WAS REVEALED. WHEREAS OFFICIAL DATA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MORE USEFUL IN EXAMINING LAW ENFORCEMENT'S APPROACH AND PRIORITIES IN DEALING WITH DEVIANT YOUTH, SELF-REPORT STUDIES ARE BELIEVED TO OFFER A MORE EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR EXAMINING THE VOLUME AND NATURE OF ILLEGAL ACTS COMMITTED BY JUVENILES. ADDITIONALLY, USED ACROSS TIME ON SAMPLE INDIVIDUALS, SELF-REPORT STUDIES ARE SAID TO MEASURE MORE ACCURATELY THAN OFFICIAL DATA ANY CHANGES IN THE AMOUNT AND PATTERN OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE VALIDITY OF SELF-REPORT INSTRUMENTS ARE DISCUSSED UNDER THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES: (1) COMPARING INFORMATION WITH OFFICIAL RECORDS, (2) SAMPLING GROUPS EXPECTED TO DIFFER ON THE MEASURE OF DELINQUENCY, (3) CHECKING INFORMATION WITH PEER INFORMATION, (4) USING A POLYGRAPH, (5) TESTING ACROSS TIME, (6) TESTING ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS, (7) INTERNAL MEASURES, AND (8) CORRELATION WITH OTHER VARIABLES. ANONYMITY, QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION, AND QUESTION FORMAT AND CONTENT ARE DISCUSSED IN CONSIDERING THE ADMINISTRATION OF SELF-REPORT MEASURES. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IN SELF-REPORTING DATA GATHERING ARE OFFERED. DATA FROM SOME OF THE SELF-REPORT STUDIES ARE PROVIDED, AND AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (RCB)