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STUDY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THIRTY COUNTIES OF IDAHO

NCJ Number
59407
Journal
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (1925) Pages: 388-436
Author(s)
R D LEEPER
Date Published
1925
Length
49 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN 30 RURAL COUNTIES IN IDAHO, BASED ON STATISTICS, RECORDS, AND OPINIONS OF PROBATE JUDGES, IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH CASE HISTORIES.
Abstract
A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE STATE, ITS POPULATION, AND PER CAPITA INCOME, IS PRESENTED TO ILLUSTRATE THE LOCALE AS A TYPICAL RURAL FIELD FOR INVESTIGATION. IN ADDITION, THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF PROBATE JUDGES ARE DELINEATED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SELECTION OF THEIR OPINIONS AS A BASIS FOR THIS STUDY. STATISTICS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN IDAHO FROM 1914 TO 1923 ARE PROVIDED AND INCLUDE THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR ALL CRIMES BY COUNTIES AND A COMPILATION OF VARIOUS CRIMES BY SEX FOR 5 YEARS ENDING IN 1918 AND FOR THE 10-YEAR PERIOD. ACCORDING TO THESE DATA, THERE ARE TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE DELINQUENCIES IN THE SMALLER COUNTIES THAN ARE REPORTED. DURING THE TIME PERIOD EXAMINED, GIRLS COMMITTED TWICE AS MANY SEX CRIMES AS BOYS, WHEREAS BOYS COMMITTED 11 TIMES AS MANY PROPERTY CRIMES AND 13 TIMES AS MANY ASSAULTS. A TRANSCRIPT OF TWO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CASES FROM EACH COUNTY IS PROVIDED, FOLLOWED BY THE OPINIONS OF PROBATE JUDGES AS TO CAUSES FOR THE INCREASE IN THESE CASES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR REMEDIES. MOST JUDGES ASCRIBED DELINQUENCY TO AN UNHAPPY HOME ENVIRONMENT, LACK OF DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE FAMILY, LACK OF RELIGIOUS AND MORAL UPBRINGING, AND THE INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR DELINQUENCY. STATISTICAL DATA FROM THE NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE IDAHO INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHOOL, 1919-1920, ARE PRESENTED TO SUPPORT THE JUDGES' THEORIES. IT IS STRESSED THAT THE ABSENCE OF PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY IN CONTROLLING CHILDREN CONTRIBUTES TO DELINQUENCY AS WELL AS LIBERAL PRACTICES IN SOCIETY SUCH AS SENSATIONAL AND LICENTIOUS MOVIES AND DANCES.