NCJ Number
61278
Journal
SOCIAL BIOLOGY Volume: 25 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 243-250
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF FAMILY VARIABLES FOR 214 DELINQUENTS SHOWED THAT THE MOST VIOLENT WERE MALES FROM LARGE INTACT HOMES.
Abstract
THE STUDY HYPOTHESIZED THAT VIOLENCE AMONG A GROUP OF DELINQUENTS ON PROBATION WOULD BE GREATER (1) FOR MALES THAN FEMALES, (2) FOR THOSE FROM BROKEN HOMES VS. INTACT FAMILIES, AND (3) FOR THOSE FROM LARGE FAMILIES VS. SMALL FAMILIES. SUBJECTS WERE AGED 12-20, REFERRED CONSECUTIVELY BY PROBATION OFFICERS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND TO AID IN TREATMENT PLANNING. THEY WERE PREDOMINANTELY OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS. A VIOLENCE SCALE WAS USED WHICH PROVIDED NUMERICAL VALUES FROM EACH CRIME AND GAVE A NUMERICAL VALUE FOR EACH DELINQUENT'S MOST SERIOUS CRIME. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES WERE THE SEX OF THE DELINQUENT, THE BROKEN-INTACT FAMILY VARIABLE, AND THE FAMILY SIZE. RESULTS SHOWED THAT MALE DELINQUENTS WERE FAR MORE VIOLENT THAN FEMALE DELINQUENTS, A FINDING WHICH SUPPORTED MANY PREVIOUS STUDIES. THE LEAST VIOLENT MALES AND THE MOST VIOLENT FEMALES CAME FROM SMALL INTACT HOMES. WITHIN THIS ONE FAMILY SUBTYPE, FEMALES WERE AS VIOLENT AS MALES. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT A CHILD MAY HAVE A SPECIAL NEED FOR THE CROSS-SEX PARENT, AS THE LARGE FAMILY MAY IMPLY RELATIVE ABSENCE OF THE MOTHER, BECAUSE OF HER DILUTION AMONG MANY SIBLINGS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO FEMALE DELINQUENTS FROM VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.