Juvenile Delinquency : A Sociological Approach

by Bynum, Jack E.; Thompson, William E.

• ISBN13: 9780205499113
• ISBN10: 0205499112
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Taking a sociological approach, this text discusses delinquency as it relates to and emerges from the youth's family, neighborhood, school, peer group, social class, and overall cultural and social environment.The authors incorporate contributions from psychologists, social workers, criminologists, and other specialists who have sought to understand, explain, control, and prevent juvenile delinquency.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xxii
Conformity, Deviance, and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 1
Introduction: The Sociological Perspective and Focus on Juvenile Delinquency	p. 1
Juvenile Delinquency: The Act, the Actor, and the Audience	p. 3
Reading Objectives	p. 3
Introduction	p. 3
What Is Juvenile Delinquency?	p. 4
Who Is a Juvenile?	p. 4
What Is Delinquency?	p. 6
The Legal Definition	p. 8
The Role Definition	p. 12
Controversial Issue: "Child or Adult?"	p. 13
The Societal Response Definition	p. 17
An Integrated Definition of Delinquency	p. 19
Cross-Cultural Focus: The Cultural and Legal Definitions of "Child" and "Juvenile Offender" in Other Nations	p. 20
Summary	p. 22
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 23
References	p. 24
A Sociological Overview: Society, Norms, Conformity, and Deviant Behavior	p. 25
Reading Objectives	p. 25
Introduction	p. 25
The Sociological Perspective	p. 26
The Social Nature of Humans	p. 27
The Social Imperative	p. 27
Social Interaction	p. 28
Social Interdependence	p. 29
Social Organization	p. 30
Norms	p. 31
Sources of Norms	p. 31
Social Consensus	p. 31
Social Conflict	p. 32
Folkways and Mores	p. 33
Folkways	p. 33
Mores	p. 33
Normative Behavior: Conformity	p. 35
Deviant Behavior: Nonconformity	p. 36
Negative Aspects of Deviance	p. 38
Cross-Cultural Focus: Conformity, Deviance, and Delinquency among Native Americans	p. 39
Positive Aspects of Deviance	p. 42
Juvenile Delinquency	p. 44
Concept Application: "Deviance or Conformity?"	p. 46
Summary	p. 48
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 49
References	p. 49
The Dimensions of the Delinquency Problem	p. 51
Reading Objectives	p. 51
Introduction	p. 51
Juvenile Delinquency Data	p. 52
Validity and Reliability	p. 52
Official Sources of Delinquency Information	p. 54
FBI Uniform Crime Reports	p. 54
Juvenile Court Statistics	p. 63
Methodology	p. 64
Findings	p. 65
The Composite Delinquent Profile: Typical or Stereotypical?	p. 67
Limitations of Official Delinquency Data	p. 69
Unofficial Sources of Delinquency Information	p. 71
Self-Report Studies	p. 71
Concept Application: "Undetected and Unreported Delinquency: The Missing Statistics"	p. 72
Victimization Surveys	p. 76
Controversial Issue: Juvenile Violence: Guns and the U.S. Constitution	p. 77
The Magnitude and Trends of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 79
Addendum: A Balanced Perspective on Youth	p. 81
Cross-Cultural Focus: Juvenile Delinquency in Russia	p. 82
Summary	p. 83
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 84
References	p. 85
Causes of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 89
Introduction: Theory and the Etiology of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 89
Biological Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 92
Reading Objectives	p. 92
Introduction	p. 92
The Link between Biology and Behavior: Myths and Folklore	p. 92
The Classical School of Criminological Thought	p. 92
The Positive School of Criminology	p. 92
Twentieth-Century Constitutional Typologies	p. 96
The Continuing Search for the Biological Connection	p. 98
Concept Application: "An Ugly Girl"	p. 98
Gender	p. 99
Race and Ethnicity	p. 101
Age	p. 102
Genetic Crime Causation: The XYY Hypothesis	p. 104
Diet and Deviant Behavior	p. 106
Cross-Cultural Focus: The Study of Twins and Adopted Children in Scandinavia	p. 106
Brain Malfunctions	p. 109
Sociobiological Explanations	p. 111
Controversial Issue: Heredity Versus Environment in Deviant and Delinquent Behavior	p. 112
Summary	p. 113
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 115
References	p. 115
Psychogenic Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 119
Reading Objectives	p. 119
Introduction	p. 119
The Psychogenic Approach	p. 120
The Discovery of the Unconscious	p. 122
The Formation of Personality	p. 122
Freudian Theory as an Explanation of Crime and Delinquency	p. 123
Psychoanalysis	p. 124
Projective Tests	p. 124
The Rorschach Ink-Blot Test	p. 125
Projective Tests and Homicidal Children	p. 125
Delinquent Acts as Symptoms	p. 126
Conduct Disorders	p. 127
Other Psychogenic Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 128
Early Theories of Feeblemindedness	p. 128
Controversial Issues: The Debate over Television Violence, Childhood Personality Development, and Criminal Behavior	p. 129
Neurological Abnormalities	p. 131
The Flawed Personality	p. 134
Adolescent Identity Crisis	p. 136
Insufficient Moral Development	p. 138
Predictors of Youth Violence	p. 140
Criticisms and Limitations of the Psychogenic Approach	p. 141
Critique of Theoretical Assumptions and Concepts	p. 141
Critique of Research Methodology	p. 141
Critique of Psychogenic Applications to Crime and Delinquency	p. 142
Concept Application: The Psychological and Social Impacts on Victims of Crime and Delinquency	p. 143
Summary	p. 144
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 145
References	p. 146
Sociological Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency: Social Strain and Cultural Transmission Theories	p. 149
Reading Objectives	p. 149
Introduction	p. 149
Theory	p. 150
Social Strain Theories	p. 151
Durkheim's Concept of Anomie	p. 151
Merton's Theory of Anomie	p. 152
Cohen's "Delinquent Boys"	p. 155
Cloward and Ohlin's "Delinquency and Opportunity"	p. 155
Contributions of Social Strain Theories	p. 158
Criticisms and Limitations of Social Strain Theories	p. 159
Agnew's General Strain Theory	p. 160
Controversial Issue: Social Structure as a Proposed Cause of Urban Crime and Delinquency	p. 161
Cultural Transmission Theories	p. 162
Sellin's Theory of Culture Conflict	p. 163
Burgess' Concentric Zone Theory	p. 163
Shaw and McKay's "High Delinquency Areas"	p. 165
Miller's Focus on Lower Class Culture	p. 165
Contributions of Cultural Transmission Theories	p. 167
Criticisms and Limitations of Cultural Transmission Theories	p. 168
Concept Application: Searching for Causal Explanations of Contemporary School Shootings	p. 170
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 172
References	p. 172
Sociological Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency: Social Learning and Social Control Theories	p. 174
Reading Objectives	p. 174
Introduction	p. 174
Social Learning Theories	p. 176
Sutherland and Cressey's Theory of Differential Assocition	p. 176
Glaser's Concept of Differential Identification	p. 177
Akers's Theory of Differential Reinforcement	p. 179
Contributions of Social Learning Theories	p. 179
Criticisms and Limitations of Social Learning Theories	p. 180
Concept Application: Grand Theft-Auto	p. 181
Social Control Theories	p. 184
Reckless' Containment Theory	p. 185
Sykes and Matza's Techniques of Neutralization	p. 186
Hirschi's Social Bond Theory	p. 189
Contributions of Social Control Theories	p. 190
Controversial Issue: Religiosity and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 192
Criticisms and Limitations of Social Control Theories	p. 194
Cross-Cultural Focus: Criminality among the Children of Immigrants in Western Europe	p. 195
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 196
References	p. 196
Sociological Explanations of Juvenile Delinquency: Labeling and Radical Theories	p. 199
Reading Objectives	p. 199
Introduction	p. 199
Labeling Theories	p. 200
Early Contributions to Labeling Theory	p. 201
Tannenbaum's Concept of "Tagging"	p. 201
Lemert's Primary and Secondary Deviance	p. 202
Becker's Developmental Career Model	p. 203
Contributions of Labeling Theory	p. 204
Criticisms and Limitations of Labeling Theory	p. 206
Radical Theories	p. 207
The Marxian Heritage	p. 209
Quinney's Social Reality of Crime and Delinquency	p. 209
Greenberg's Focus on Adolescent Frustration	p. 210
Schwendingers's Instrumental Theory	p. 211
Contributions of Radical Theories	p. 213
Criticisms and Limitations of Radical Theories	p. 214
Concept Application: Power Control Theory: Females in a Male World	p. 216
An Overview of the Sociological Explanations	p. 218
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 218
References	p. 219
The Future for Causal Explanations of Delinquency: The Ongoing Process of Theory Building	p. 221
Reading Objectives	p. 221
Introduction: A Review of Past Theory Building for Explaining Juvenile Delinquency	p. 221
A Renewed Examination of Delinquency Motivation: "Crime Is Fun!"	p. 222
Making Decisions for Delinquency: Rational Choice Theory	p. 225
Concept Application: The Jackass Scrapbooks	p. 225
The Punishment Response: Deterrence Theory	p. 227
Evaluation of Rational Choice and Deterrence Theories	p. 228
Back to the Future: The Prospects and Direction for New Theory Building	p. 229
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 232
References	p. 232
Juvenile Delinquency in a Social Context	p. 235
Introduction: Collective Behavior and Social Groupings	p. 235
The Family and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 237
Reading Objectives	p. 237
Introduction	p. 237
The Changing Role of the Family	p. 237
Increasing Importance of the Nuclear Family and the Creation of "Adolescence"	p. 239
The Family as an Agent of Socialization	p. 240
Working Mothers and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 241
Controversial Issue: Latchkey Children: Independence or Neglect?	p. 243
Other Family Variables and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 245
Social Class	p. 245
Family Size and Birth Order	p. 246
Family Interaction	p. 248
Parental Discipline	p. 249
Single-Parent Families and Delinquency	p. 252
The Family and Delinquency Prevention	p. 255
Concept Application: The Role of the Family in Preventing Delinquency	p. 256
Summary	p. 258
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 259
References	p. 260
Schools and Delinquency	p. 265
Reading Objectives	p. 265
Introduction	p. 265
The School as an Arena	p. 265
Schools and the Socialization Process	p. 266
Juvenile Delinquency and the School Experience	p. 268
Schools as a Screening Device	p. 269
Cross-Cultural Focus: Self-Concept and Delinquency among Chinese Schoolchildren	p. 271
Schools as "Combat Zones"	p. 275
Controversial Issue: "Dealing with the Problem of Truancy"	p. 276
Vandalism and Destruction	p. 278
Violence and Personal Attacks	p. 279
Concept Application: Bullying and School Violence	p. 282
School Safety and "Zero Tolerance"	p. 284
School as Bureaucracy	p. 286
Schools and Delinquency Prevention	p. 286
Summary	p. 289
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 290
References	p. 290
The Youth Subculture	p. 295
Reading Objectives	p. 295
Introduction	p. 295
Culture, Subcultures, and Countercultures	p. 296
The Creation of a Youth Subculture	p. 296
Cross-Cultural Focus: Japanese Youth Subculture, Skinheads, and Counterculture	p. 298
Role of the Youth Subculture	p. 299
Distinctive Elements of the Youth Subculture	p. 301
Youth Values	p. 301
Concept Application: The American Youth Subculture: Youth Values in the 21st Century	p. 302
Dress, Grooming, and Fads	p. 304
Tatoos	p. 306
Mass Media	p. 307
Language	p. 308
Controversial Issue: Censoring Rock Music	p. 309
The Youth Subculture and Juvenile Delinquency	p. 311
Juvenile Runaways	p. 311
Juvenile Prostitution	p. 313
Juveniles and Drugs	p. 315
Juveniles and Sex	p. 317
Youth Countercultures and Delinquency	p. 319
Teenage Satanic Groups	p. 319
Youth Hate Groups	p. 320
The Youth Subculture and Delinquency Prevention	p. 322
Summary	p. 323
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 324
References	p. 325
Juvenile Gangs and Delinquent Behavior	p. 330
Reading Objectives	p. 330
Introduction	p. 330
Predatory Youths: A National Alarm	p. 330
The Solitary Delinquent	p. 331
Group Delinquency	p. 333
The Play Group	p. 333
The Juvenile Gan	p. 335
What Is a Gang?	p. 335
History of Youth Gangs	p. 337
Contemporary Youth Gangs in the United States	p. 338
Number of Gangs and Members	p. 338
Locale	p. 339
The Motives for Gang Membership	p. 341
Concept Application: The Profit Motive: Group Shoplifting and "The Swarm"	p. 342
Initiation Rituals	p. 343
Gang Organization	p. 345
The Near Group	p. 345
Gang Graffiti, Slanguage, and Symbols	p. 346
Composition of Gang Membership	p. 349
Social Class	p. 349
Racial and Ethnic Composition of Gangs	p. 350
Female Participation in Delinquent Gangs	p. 352
Gang Violence	p. 355
Concept Application: "The Weapon of Choice: The Dogs of War"	p. 356
Drug Franchises and Gang Warfare	p. 358
Gang Rape	p. 359
Dyads and Triads	p. 360
Explanatory Theories of Gang Formation and Behavior: A Summary and Synthesis	p. 360
Cross-Cultural Focus: Urban Youth Gangs in Russia	p. 363
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 365
References	p. 366
Social Control: The Juvenile Justice System	p. 371
Introduction: Elements of Social Control	p. 371
Juveniles and the Police	p. 373
Reading Objectives	p. 373
Introduction	p. 373
Juvenile Encounters with Police	p. 373
Policing Juveniles	p. 375
Law Enforcement Role	p. 376
Crime Prevention Role	p. 377
Cross-Cultural Focus: Policing Juveniles in Great Britain	p. 377
Police Discretion in Handling Juveniles	p. 380
Legal Factors	p. 382
Extralegal Factors	p. 384
Police and Due Process	p. 388
Police, Community Policing, and Delinquency Prevention	p. 391
Controversial Issue: Targeting Serious Habitual Offenders: Delinquency Prevention or Police Harassment?	p. 392
Summary	p. 394
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 395
References	p. 396
Juvenile Court	p. 399
Reading Objectives	p. 399
Introduction	p. 399
Historical Background of the Juvenile Court	p. 400
Cross-Cultural Focus: Development of the Juvenile Court in Canada	p. 401
The Child Savers Movement	p. 402
The Juvenile Court	p. 403
The Juvenile Court and Due Process	p. 405
Juvenile Court Procedures	p. 408
Intake	p. 409
Adjudication	p. 411
Disposition	p. 412
The Role of Attorneys in Juvenile Court	p. 414
The District Attorney	p. 414
The Defense Attorney	p. 416
Controversial Issue: The Use of Attorneys in the Juvenile Court	p. 416
Criticisms of the Juvenile Court	p. 418
The Multifaceted JuveniLe Court	p. 420
The Future of the Juvenile Court	p. 422
Summary	p. 423
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 424
References	p. 424
Supreme Court Rulings Cited	p. 426
Juvenile Corrections	p. 427
Reading Objectives	p. 427
Introduction	p. 427
Social Control and Deterrence Theory	p. 428
Voluntary Social Control	p. 428
Cross-Cultural Focus: The Caning of an American Youth in Singapore: Justice or Abuse?	p. 429
Informal Social Control	p. 430
Formal Social Control	p. 433
Juvenile Probation	p. 433
Restitution and "Restorative Justice"	p. 435
Juvenile Placement	p. 436
Juvenile Aftercare	p. 438
Controversial Issue: Institutionalization versus Community Treatment	p. 439
Waiver: Remanding Juveniles to Adult Courts	p. 440
Juveniles in Adult Jails and Prisons	p. 443
Capital Punishment for Juveniles and Roper v. Simmons	p. 444
Controversial Issue: Should Juveniles Be Held in Adult Jails and Prisons?	p. 445
Deinstitutionalization, Community Corrections, and Diversion	p. 449
House Arrest	p. 451
Youth Service Bureaus	p. 451
Scared Straight!	p. 452
S.H.A.P.E.U.P.	p. 453
VisionQuest	p. 454
Juvenile Boot Camps	p. 454
Other Diversion Programs	p. 456
Evaluation of Deinstitutionalization, Community Corrections, and Diversion	p. 456
Summary	p. 457
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 458
References	p. 459
Strategies for Dealing with Juvenile Delinquency	p. 463
Introduction: Approaching Treatment and Prevention in a Social Context	p. 463
Treatment and Prevention Strategies	p. 465
Reading Objectives	p. 465
Introduction	p. 465
Treatment Ideology and Delinquency Treatment Programs	p. 466
Controversial Issue: Applying the Medical Model in the Treatment of Delinquency	p. 467
Behavior Modification	p. 468
Reality Therapy	p. 469
Group and Individual Counseling and Therapy	p. 470
Prevention Ideology and Delinquency Prevention Programs	p. 472
Early Identification	p. 472
Predelinquents and Early Intervention	p. 473
Sociological Approaches to Delinquency Treatment and Prevention	p. 474
Cross-Cultural Focus: Delinquency Prevention in Japan	p. 475
The Chicago Area Project	p. 476
The Mid-City Project	p. 477
Mobilization for Youth	p. 477
Minnesota Youth Advocate Program/Urban League	p. 478
Neighborhood Youth Corps and Job Training	p. 478
The Highfields Project	p. 479
The Provo Experiment	p. 480
The Millcreek Youth Correctional Facility	p. 481
The Paint Creek Youth Center	p. 481
Project New Pride	p. 481
Mentoring Programs	p. 482
Other Programs	p. 482
Mobilizing the Community to Prevent Delinquency	p. 484
Crimestoppers and Hotlines	p. 484
Neighborhood Watch and Youth Crime Watch	p. 485
Guardian Angels	p. 485
S.H.O.D.I.	p. 487
Gang Intervention and Prevention Programs	p. 487
Evaluation of Delinquency Treatment and Prevention Strategies	p. 488
Summary	p. 488
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 489
References	p. 490
Rethinking the Delinquency Problem	p. 493
Reading Objectives	p. 493
Introduction	p. 493
The Social Nature of Juvenile Delinquency	p. 494
Eliminating the Marginal Status of Juveniles	p. 496
Rites of Passage	p. 497
Meaningful Social Participation	p. 500
Concept Application: Meaningful Social Participation for Youths	p. 502
Standardization or Elimination of Juvenile Codes	p. 503
Decriminalization of Status Offenses	p. 505
Revision of the Juvenile Court	p. 506
Limited Jurisdiction	p. 506
Due Process	p. 507
Professional Judges and Court Personnel	p. 508
Dispositional Alternatives	p. 508
Other Revisions	p. 508
Controversial Issue: Should Juvenile Courts Be Abolished?	p. 510
Modification of Juvenile Corrections	p. 511
Strengthening the Family	p. 514
Changing the Educational System	p. 515
Redefining Juvenile Delinquency	p. 517
Summary	p. 519
Concept Integration: Questions and Topics for Study and Discussion	p. 521
References	p. 521
Glossary	p. 524
Name Index	p. 543
Subject Index	p. 551
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