NCJ Number
60593
Journal
MONTSSCHRIFT FUER KRIMINOLOGIE UND STRAFRECHTSREFORM Volume: 61 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 386-395
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
TREATMENT METHODS FOR GERMAN CHILD OFFENDERS ARE STUDIED FOR THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN THE PREVENTION OF RECIDIVSM.
Abstract
MANY OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE APPREHENDED FOR CRIMES IN WEST GERMANY ARE ENTIRELY NORMAL IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT. IN OTHER CHILDREN, HOWEVER, DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS A MANIFESTATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES WHICH REQUIRE TREATMENT. THE CRITERIA ACCORDING TO WHICH CHILD OFFENDERS ARE SELECTED FOR FURTHER TREATMENT ARE ANALYZED, ALONG WITH THE EFFECTS THIS TREATMENT HAS ON RECIDIVISM. OF 223 OFFENDERS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 IN THE CITY OF STUTTGART, 115 (52 PERCENT) RECEIVED VARIOUS KINDS OF PREVENTVE THERAPY (ASSIGNMENT TO A SOCIAL WORKER, COMMITMENT TO A HOME, INFORMAL COUNSELING). THESE 115 CHILDREN WERE SELECTED FOR TREATMENT BECAUSE OF ONE (OR MORE) OF MORE OF THESE SOCIAL ABNORMALITIES: HAVING COMMITTED TWO OR MORE OFFENSES, FAILING GRADES, TRUANCY, RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME, VAGRANCY, OR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR OF ONE PARENT. A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TYPE OF THERAPY SELECTED AND THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM SHOWED THAT THE LEAST ABNORMAL CHILDREN, WHO USUALLY RECEIVED ONLY SHORT-TERM INFORMAL COUNSELING SESSIONS, HAD THE LOWEST RATE OF RECIDIVISM. CHILDREN WITH GREATER ABNORMALITIES, MANY OF WHOM HAD BEEN COMMITTED TO HOMES, RELAPSED INTO CRIME FAR MORE FREQUENTLY. IN SPITE OF THESE RESULTS, IT CANNOT BE CONCLUDED THAT SHORT-TERM INFORMAL COUNSELING IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT METHOD SINCE THE INITIAL DEGREE OF DEVIANCY SEEMS JUST AS SIGNIFICANT IN DETERMINING THE RATE OF RECIDIVSM. ON THE OTHER HAND, DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR WITH ANY CHILD SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED AS IT MAY POINT TO SERIOUS DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS FOOTNOTES. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)