NCJ Number
59795
Journal
Social Problems Volume: 26 Issue: 4 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (APRIL 1979) Pages: 482-497
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY OF JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN A MIDDLE-CLASS SUBURB OF A LARGE MIDWESTERN CITY FINDS THAT PEER RELATIONSHIPS AND ADULT-CHILD CONFLICT VARIABLES ARE THE BEST PREDICTORS OF VANDALISM.
Abstract
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