Phenonmenon of Delinquency (From Introduction to Juvenile Delinquency: Youth and the Law, P 7-26, 1984, James T Carey and Patrick D McAnany -- See NCJ-116445)

• NCJ Number: 116446
• Author(s): J T Carey; P D McAnany
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Prentice Hall
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter examines public perceptions of juvenile crime and the impact of these perceptions on juvenile justice institutions; statistical data on juvenile crime are then analyzed to show that public perceptions of juvenile crime are not in accord with the empirical data.

Abstract

Arrest statistics, court statistics, self-report studies, and victimization surveys all indicate that adolescent misconduct is not as serious as the general public supposes. Public misperceptions of juveniles' behavior leading to suspicion and fear of juveniles is primarily based on juveniles' structural location in society. Youth are, by and large, excluded from the work force and segregated from adults. This separation creates the conditions for conflict with adults. Adult fears, combined with the recommendations of several influential national organizations and commissions, along with the views of a variety of political, legal, and academic figures, have dramatically impacted juvenile justice institutions. The introduction of current legislation concerning juvenile crime has consistently moved toward an adult criminal model that emphasizes due process and sentences proportionate to offense severity. 4 tables, 3 figures. (Author summary modified)