NCJ Number
48949
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 110-127
Date Published
1978
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THE EXISTENCE OF A CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 73 YOUNG MALES PLACED ON PROBATION BY THE JUVENILE COURT OF OTTAWA-CARLETON, CANADA.
Abstract
DEMOGRAPHIC AND OTHER DATA WERE GATHERED IN INTERVIEWS WITH THE SUBJECTS' FAMILIES. DATA WERE ALSO GATHERED ON ANTISOCIAL AND NONANTISOCIAL SYMPTOMS DISPLAYED BY SUBJECTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS, MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC HISTORIES OF PARENTS, AND SCHOOL RECORDS AND COURT CONTACTS OF SUBJECTS AND SIBLINGS. THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE SUBJECTS WAS 13.8 YEARS. MOST CAME FROM RELATIVELY POOR HOMES. ACROSS-FAMILY AND WITHIN-FAMILY DESIGNS WERE USED TO ANALYZE THE DATA. THE ACROSS-FAMILY ANALYSIS REVEALS FEW DIFFERENCES PRIOR TO ONSET OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR BETWEEN DELINQUENTS WITH POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND DELINQUENTS WITHOUT POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. WITHIN-FAMILY ANALYSES FAIL TO SHOW ANY DIFFERENCES IN IQ OR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE BETWEEN DELINQUENT SUBJECTS AND THEIR NONDELINQUENT SIBLINGS. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT, WITHIN THE RELATIVELY POOR URBAN DELINQUENT POPULATION STUDIED, BOTH EDUCATIONAL RETARDATION AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR ARISE FROM COMMON OR COEXISTING ADVERSE FAMILY INFLUENCES, AND THAT EDUCATIONAL RETARDATION ITSELF IS NOT CAUSALLY RELATED TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)