NEED FOR STATISTICS ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE IVORY COAST - STUDY OF THE STATISTICS ON CRIMES COMMITTED BY MINORS OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS (FROM URBAN AND RURAL CRIME AND ITS CONTROL, WEST AFRICA, 1973 - SEE NCJ-64784)

• NCJ Number: 64788
• Author(s): A BASSITCHE
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 30 pages
• Corporate Author: Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee; Abidjan Institute of Criminology
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

TRENDS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE IVORY COAST FROM 1969 TO 1971 ARE EXAMINED USING DATA FROM FOUR SOURCES: THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, THE CONSTABULARY, THE POLICE STATIONS, AND THE JUVENILE COURT.

Abstract

DATA ARE IMPERFECT BECAUSE OF INCOMPLETE REPORTING OF CRIMES, DIFFERING CRITERIA USED IN DIFFERENT AREAS TO LABEL A YOUTH A DELINQUENT, LACK OF PERSONNEL, AND MISTAKES. DESPITE DATA PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, PATTERNS CAN BE DETECTED. DATA FROM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE INDICATE THAT IN 1971, 765 YOUTHS WERE IN PENITENTIARIES FOR 'PREVENTION' AND 358 FOR 'DETENTION,' VERSUS 413 AND 276 RESPECTIVELY, IN 1971. OFFENSES INCLUDED THEFTS, PREMEDITATED ASSSAULT AND BATTERY, VIOLENCE TO MINORS UNDER AGE 15, MURDER, AND FALSE PAPERS. THE THREE MAIN CAPITAL CITIES HAD THE LARGEST NUMBERS OF MINORS CHARGED AND IMPRISONED. DATA FROM THE CONSTABULARY, THE RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, REFLECT ONLY OFFENSES WHICH GAVE RISE TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. NEVERTHELESS, THESE DATA LIKE THOSE OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE IN DELINQUENCY FROM ONE YEAR TO ANOTHER. THEFT SEEMED TO BE THE MOST FREQUENT OFFENSE. DATA FROM URBAN POLICE STATONS IN ABIDJAN INDICATED AN APPRECIABLE DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE DELIQUENTS, FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THE ENTIRE JUVENILE SQUAD HOWEVER CONSISTED OF ONE OFFICER. MOST CHILDREN APPREHENDED WERE 10 TO 16 YEARS OLD AND PICKED UP FOR VAGRANCY. DATA FROM ABIDJAN'S JUVENILE COURTS INDICATED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MORE SERIOUS ACTS SUCH AS ASSAULT AND BATTERY, DRUG POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION, AND VIOLENCE TO MINORS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VARIOUS LAW COURTS ARE HELPLESSLY WITNESSING A RENEWED OUTBREAK OF JUVENILE CRIME. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT UNIFORM CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATING JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND THEIR SOCIAL ORIGINS; AND A CENTRAL BANK OF STATISTICS BE DEVELOPED. FIGURES, TABLES, AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. FOR THE VOLUME OF WHICH THIS ARTICLE IS A PART, SEE NCJ 64784. (CFW)