NCJ Number
58792
Date Published
1978
Length
36 pages
Annotation
THEORIES BEARING UPON THE ROLE OF POVERTY OR LOW SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS IN THE ETIOLOGY OF DELINQUENCY ARE REVIEWED, AND AN EXPLANATION OF MALE GANG DELINQUENCY IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IS POSED.
Abstract
THE THEORETICAL REVIEW FOCUSES ON MAJOR CULTURAL AND STRUCTURAL STATEMENTS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POVERTY AND DELINQUENCY (STATUS DEPRIVATION, OPPORTUNITY, CLASS VALUES). CONTROVERSIES REGARDING POVERTY AND CULTURE, PRIMARILY THE QUESTION OF WHETHER NORMS AND VALUES WITHIN THE LOWER CLASSES ARE SIMILAR TO OR DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, ARE DISCUSSED. THE CONCEPT OF 'VALUE STRETCH'--THE IDEA THAT LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS SHARE MIDDLE-CLASS VALUES AND ALSO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE VALUES--IS INTRODUCED AND EXPLORED. VALUE STRETCH THEORY POSITS THAT LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, UNABLE TO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DOMINANT VALUES OF SOCIETY, DEVIATE FROM THESE VALUES AND STRETCH THEIR OWN VALUES TO ENCOMPASS THEIR DEVIANCE. SOME SUPPORT FOR THIS NOTION IS FOUND IN RESEARCH FINDINGS THAT LOW-INCOME MALE JUVENILES (INCLUDING GANG DELINQUENTS) ACCEPT MIDDLE-CLASS VALUES AS MUCH AS DO MIDDLE-CLASS YOUTHS, THAT LOW-INCOME DELINQUENTS ACCEPT LOW-INCOME VALUES MORE THAN DO OTHER LOW-INCOME YOUTHS, AND THAT LOW-INCOME YOUTHS ACCEPT LOW-INCOME VALUES MORE READILY THAN DO MIDDLE-CLASS YOUTHS. THE THEORETICAL REVIEW ALSO COVERS CONTAINMENT AND CONTROL THEORY, WHICH IS INCORPORATED IN A TENTATIVE PARADIGM EXPLAINING MALE GANG DELINQUENCY IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. THE PARADIGM HAS THREE ELEMENTS: (1) THE COMMUNITY'S LIMITED ABILITY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTHS TO ACHIEVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DOMINANT VALUES OF SOCIETY; (2) THE LIMITED ABILITY OF FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN EXTERNAL CONTROLS OVER YOUTHS; AND (3) FAMILIES' LIMITED ABILITY TO INSTILL EFFECTIVE INTERNAL CONTROLS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. (LKM)