Responses to Violence Related Questionnaires by Delinquent, Truant and State-Dependent Boys Receiving Treatment in an Extended Day Program

• NCJ Number: 224476
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 47 Issue: 4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 407-432
• Author(s): Marcia Polansky; August M. Villanueva; Jeffrey Bonfield
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 26 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study assessed violence-related attitudes, beliefs, and experiences among 29 delinquent, 22 truant, and 12 State-dependent adolescent boys who were attending an urban publicly funded extended day program for high-risk boys.

Abstract

The study found that both delinquent and truant boys had high rates of antisocial responses on questionnaires that measure attitudes and beliefs related to aggression. Both groups believed that physical aggression should be used in responding to verbal attacks; however, although truants held this belief, they did not act on it, at least while enrolled in the program. Delinquent boys, on the other hand, did act on this belief. One explanation for this difference between the groups is that truants are at an earlier stage on the pathway to violent behavior, having formed beliefs that have not yet been integrated into actual behavior. In this regard, research is being conducted on the interplay among antisocial beliefs/attitudes and one’s ability to manage emotions. In responding to questions related to guns and violence, delinquents’ responses indicated a greater knowledge of the dangers of guns, possibly because they had more experiences as witnesses to people being injured or killed by guns. The majority of delinquents and truants felt there was no caring adult in their lives, with the percentage being greater for delinquents. Both truants and delinquents witnessed frequent mild to extreme violence in their neighborhoods. Delinquents’ exposure to so much violence may be attributed to belonging to gangs and involvement in illegal activities such as drug dealing. The high exposure to violence reported by truants was surprising, because they had no history of violent behavior nor were they aggressive or violent while in the program. Twice a week, study participants were administered a set of violence-related questionnaires derived from the Centers for Disease Control’s compendium of violence-related questionnaires. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 52 references