YOUTH AND CRIME IN CONTEMPORARY AND FUTURE SOCIETY (FROM UNAFEI - RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES NO 14, 1978, SEE NCJ-51514)

• NCJ Number: 51516
• Author(s): M LOPEZ-REY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: Japan
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 46TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE ON THE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS AND YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, TOKYO, APRIL 19 TO JULY 9, 1977

Annotation

AN OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF APPROACH TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM, CONCEPTS GOVERNING SYSTEMS CREATED, AND THE VALIDITY OF THEORIES AND POLICIES ARE DISCUSSED FROM A WORLDWIDE PERSPECTIVE.

Abstract

IN DISCUSSING THE HISTORY OF TRENDS IN THE CONCEPTUALIZATION AND HANDLING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, IT IS NOTED THAT THE DEVELOPED WESTERN SOCIETIES HAVE INFLUENCED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN VIEWING JUVENILE BEHAVIOR AS A MATTER FOR SPECIAL CONCERN BY THE GOVERNMENT AND PARTICULARLY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. IN DEEMPHASIZING CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR DELINQUENT ACTS WHILE EXPANDING DEFINITIONS OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR FOR DELINQUENTS BEYOND THOSE OPERATIVE FOR ADULTS, WESTERN SOCIETIES HAVE TENDED TO SET THE PATTERN FOR OTHER COUNTRIES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT EACH NATION MUST DEVISE ITS OWN APPROACH TO HANDLING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY WITHIN THE BROAD GUIDELINES OF ESTABLISHING SOCIAL JUSTICE WITHIN A PARTICULAR PREVALENT SOCIOECONOMIC STRUCTURE. THE AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS AMONG MINORS IS NOTED TO VARY BETWEEN COUNTRIES AND WITHIN COUNTRIES ACCORDING TO URBAN AND RURAL AREAS. STATISTICS ON DELINQUENCY ARE PROVIDED FOR A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES. FACTORS INVOLVED IN JUVENILE CRIME ARE DISCUSSED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO URBANIZATION. THE TENSION BETWEEN ALLOWING YOUTH THE FREEDOM TO ACT AND REACT TO CHANGE SOCIAL NORMS AND ENFORCING EXISTING NORMS BY BRINGING DEVIANT YOUTH UNDER COURT SUPERVISION IS INDICATED TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN A CRIMINAL JUSTICE APPROACH TO JUVENILES IN ALL COUNTRIES. A GENERAL CONSENSUS IS NOTED AMONG CONFERENCE ATTENDEES THAT JUVENILE CRIME AND JUVENILES IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE AND CARE SHOULD BE DEALT WITH SEPARATELY. JUVENILE CRIME WOULD BE DEALT WITH BY THE ADULT PENAL SYSTEM, BUT WITH EMPHASIS ON INDIVIDUALIZATION OF TREATMENT. PLANNING FOR SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH A VIEW TOWARD CRIME PREVENTION IS GIVEN SOME ATTENTION. (RCB)