NCJ Number
31204
Date Published
1972
Length
94 pages
Annotation
AROUND TWO THIRDS OF PRESENT-DAY CRIME BY YOUNG PEOPLE IS WHAT IS CALLED CRIME FOR PROFIT - THEFT, EMBEZZLEMENT, RECEIVING STOLEN GOODS AND ROBBERY - AND IT IS TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO A DESIRE FOR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS.
Abstract
NUMEROUS OFFENSES BY YOUNG PEOPLE ALSO INVOLVE VIOLENCE, AND A NUMBER OF INSTANCES IN WEST GERMANY ARE CITED. A TENDENCY AMONG EUROPEAN YOUNG PEOPLE TO ABANDON ANY PHILOSOPHICAL IDEALS RISING ABOVE THEIR OWN SELFISH INTERESTS IS LABELLED 'MURDER OF THE SOUL' AND SUGGESTED AS A CAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN JUVENILE CRIME. DISCUSSION AND STATISTICS ARE PROVIDED ON THE THEORY THAT INTELLIGENCE AND TENDENCIES TOWARD BOTH ACHIEVEMENT AND CRIMINALITY ARE LIKELY TO BE INHERITED. SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND INTELLECTURAL FACTORS ARE DISCUSSED AS CRIME CAUSES. PREVENTIVE MEASURES, INCLUDING BETTER EDUCATION, INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT ARE ADVOCATED AS THE BEST MEANS OF FIGHTING CRIME BY YOUNG PEOPLE. LIKEWISE, EDUCATION RATHER THAN PUNISHMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION INMATES IS DISCUSSED AND ADVOCATED. A VISIT TO THE HERFORD JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN WEST GERMANY, WHERE CONSIDERABLE EFFORT IS MADE TO PROVIDE OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING, IS DESCRIBED. RESOCIALIZATION EFFORTS AND THE PROBLEM OF RECIDIVISM ARE DISCUSSED. NUMEROUS REFERENCES TO AND QUOTATIONS FROM THE AUTHORS OF OTHER WORKS ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ARE INCLUDED. --IN GERMAN