NCJ Number
48248
Date Published
1977
Length
4 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH METHODS AND FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED RELATING TO A STUDY OF THE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN DELINQUENCY AND PERSONALITY TRAITS.
Abstract
SUBJECTS FOR THE STUDY WERE DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS: (1) 1,020 MALE JUVENILES WHO WERE RECEIVED AND COMPREHENSIVELY CLASSIFIED BY JUVENILE CLASSIFICATION HOMES IN JAPAN BETWEEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 1973; AND (2) 1,248 MALE JUVENILES WHO WERE RECEIVED AND CLASSIFIED IN HOMES IN JAPAN FROM JUNE 1975 TO JUNE 1976. IN ORDER TO DEFINE DELINQUENCY, CERTAIN VARIABLES WERE SELECTED TO INCLUDE THOSE ITEMS WHICH CLOSELY RELATED TO THE JUVENILE'S MISCONDUCT, AND THOSE ITEMS WHICH DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CASE AND RECORD OF OFFENSE. TWO KINDS OF DELINQUENCY WERE MULTIDIMENSIONALLY COMPOSED BY MEANS OF THE QUANTIFICATION THEORY MODEL DEVELOPED BY CHIKIO HAYASHI, AND FACTORS OF PERSONALITY WERE MULTIDIMENSIONALLY COMPOSED USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS. THREE TYPES OF DELINQUENCY WERE RECOGNIZED IN THE RESULTS: (1) GENERAL DELINQUENCY; (2) DELINQUENCY FORMED THROUGH FAMILY CONTACTS AT AN EARLY AGE; AND (3) DELINQUENCY FORMED THROUGH FAULTY UPBRINGING AT HOME. THREE DIMENSIONS OF DELINQUENCY WERE CONNECTED WITH OFFENSIVE ACTS COMMITTED BY THE SUBJECTS: (1) PROLEPTIC-CONFIRMED DELINQUENCY; (2) DELAYED-OCCASIONAL DELINQUENCY; AND (3) MULTIFARIOUS-VIOLENT DELINQUENCY. PERSONALITY TRAITS OF THE DELINQUENTS DETERMINED TO BE FACTORS USED IN THE STUDY ARE EXPLOSIVENESS, NEUROTIC TENDENCY, LACK OF WILL, VANITY, AND EXALTATION. THE FINDINGS OBTAINED IN CROSSING DELINQUENCY DIMENSIONS WITH PERSONALITY TRAITS SHOW THAT THE GRAVITY IN EACH DIMENSION OF COMPOSED DELINQUENCY CORRESPONDS TO THE DEVIATION IN PERSONALITY FACTORS TO A CERTAIN EXTEND, THAT THE DELAYED-OCCASIONAL DELINQUENT HAS A RASH TENDENCY BUT IS LESS NEUROTIC, THAT CERTAIN PERSONALITY TRAIT PATTERNS OCCUR TO A DEGREE IN THE DELINQUENTS WHO POSSESS THE SAME TYPE OF DELINQUENCY; AND THAT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN JUVENILE OFFENDERS WHO HAVE COMMITTED VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST PERSONS AND THOSE WHO POSSESS THE PERSONALITY TRAIT DESCRIBED AS EXPLOSIVENESS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH IN THIS AREA ARE GIVEN. (DAG)