NCJ Number
14514
Journal
Revue de droit penal et de criminologie Volume: 54 Issue: 7 Dated: (APRIL, 1974) Pages: 661-682
Date Published
1974
Length
22 pages
Annotation
CRITIQUE OF THEORIES EXPLAINING SUCH CRIME IN TERMS OF THE SUBCULTURE OF JUVENILE GANGS, AND SOME STATISTICS TO SHOW INCIDENCE RATES IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND BELGIUM.
Abstract
A SUBCULTURE IS DEFINED AS A SET OF VALUES AND STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR AT VARIANCE WITH THOSE OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. THE THEORIES CRITICIZED ATTRIBUTE VIOLENT CRIME BY JUVENILES TO GANGS WHOSE BEHAVIOR REFLECTS THE SOCIAL VALUES OF SUCH SUBCULTURES AS NON-MIDDLE CLASS GROUPS, A SPECIFICALLY CRIMINAL ELEMENT IN THE POPULATION, OR THOSE JUVENILES WHO BAND TOGETHER OUT OF COMMON FEELINGS OF FRUSTRATION, FAILURE, AND ALIENATION. THE ARTICLE CONTENDS THAT THE CONCEPT OF A SUBCULTURE IS NOT ADEQUATE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF THESE JUVENILES. AS A MORE ADEQUATE APPROACH THE AUTHOR PROPOSES SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM, WHICH INCLUDES OTHER SOCIAL AS WELL AS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS SUCH AS IMITATION OF PARENTAL BEHAVIOR, THE EXPECTATIONS SOCIETY HAS OF THESE JUVENILES, AND SITUATIONAL FACTORS AT THE TIME OF THEIR OFFENCES. FUTHERMORE, THE ARTICLE CITES RESEARCH INDICATING THAT, CONTRARY TO THE THEORIES CRITICIZED, THE JUVENILE GANG IS NOT A HIGHLY STRUCTURED GROUP, AND ITS LEADER DOES NOT HAVE A TEMPERAMENTAL UNSTABLE PERSONALITY. ALSO, WHILE VIOLENCE IS CENTRAL TO THE GANG'S VALUES, IT IS NOT COMMITTED BY ALL MEMBERS, AND IS MORE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT THAN ACTUALLY COMMITTED. FUTHERMORE, GANG VIOLENCE IS NOT USUALLY COMMITTED EITHER IRRATIONALLY OR IN PURSUIT OF CRIME, AS SOME THEORIES CONTEND, BUT SERVES TO EARN PRESTIGE, TO PROVE VIRILITY, OR TO DEFEND TERRITORY AND HONOR. THE ARTICLE ALSO CITES STATISTICS FOR THE RATES OF VIOLENT CRIME BY VARIOUS AGE GROUPS IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND BELGIUM. IT CONCLUDES THAT, WHILE THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN SUCH CRIMES BY PERSONS AGED 18 TO 21 OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, IT IS NOT OF ALARMING PROPORTIONS. THE STATISTICS ALSO SHOWED THAT THE RATE OF ALL VIOLENT CRIME WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS IN BELGIUM THAN IN THE OTHER TWO COUNTRIES. --IN FRENCH