NEGRO-WHITE DIFFERENTIALS AND DELINQUENCY

• NCJ Number: 6129
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1968) Pages: 122-133
• Author(s): R M STEPHENSON; F R SCARPITTI
• Date Published: 1968
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY INDICATES INHERENT PROBLEMS AND COMPLICATING FACTORS IN THE ANALYSIS OF RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN CRIME RATES.

Abstract

ANALYSIS OF 1,193 SIXTEEN- AND SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD MALE DELINQUENTS, WHO HAD NO PRIOR INSTITUTIONALIZATION BUT WERE ASSIGNED BY THE JUVENILE COURT TO ONE OF FOUR CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS, REVEALED THAT THE NEGRO YOUTHS WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED, HAD A HIGHER DELINQUENCY HISTORY SCORE, AND WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE IN-PROGRAM FAILURES AND RECIDIVISTS. CONSIDERATION OF RACIAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC DIFFERENCES DID NOT ADEQUATELY ACCOUNT FOR THE DELINQUENCY DIFFERENTIALS, NOR WAS THERE EVIDENCE OF DISCRIMINATIVE TREATMENT IN THE LIMITED DATA AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. SOME INFERENTIAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE CASTE-LIKE POSITION OF THE NEGRO MAY PLAY A ROLE IN THE DELINQUENCY DIFFERENTIALS FOUND IN THIS STUDY. AUTHOR ABSTRACT