WHO DEFINES DELINQUENCY - A COMPARISON OF SELF-REPORTED AND OFFICIALLY-REPORTED INDICES OF DELINQUENCY FOR THREE RACIAL GROUPS

• NCJ Number: 10392
• Journal: Social Problems Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (WINTER 1969) Pages: 325-336
• Author(s): L C GOULD
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Study of Social Problems
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF EMPIRICAL AND THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFICIAL AND SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENCY MEASURES FOR NEGROES, CAUCASIANS, AND ORIENTALS.

Abstract

THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY REVEALED THAT THE TRADITIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RACE AND DELINQUENCY DOES NOT HOLD WHEN SELF-REPORT DELINQUENCY MEASURES ARE USED AND THAT OFFICIALLY-REPORTED AND SELF-REPORTED DELINQUENCY ARE RELATED ONLY AMONG CAUCASIANS. THE PAPER DISCUSSES THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS FOR CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY AND ARGUES THAT CRIMINOLOGISTS SHOULD RECOGNIZE AT LEAST THREE DISTINCT CONCEPTS OF DELINQUENCY - DELINQUENT ACTS, OFFICIAL DELINQUENCY, AND SELF-PERCEIVED DELINQUENCY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)