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Child Maltreatment Seriousness and Juvenile Delinquency

NCJ Number
109319
Journal
Youth and Society Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: (December 1987) Pages: 197-224
Author(s)
W Doerner
Date Published
1987
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Methodological flaws in current child maltreatment research have led researchers to ignore a possible linkage between child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency.
Abstract
Deficiencies in current research fall into four broad areas: (1) the conceptualization of maltreatment, (2) the measurement of maltreatment, (3) the measurement of delinquency, and (4) the composition or derivation of groups studied. An analysis of these deficiencies finds that certain types of child abuse and neglect are related to delinquency and other types of maltreatment are not. Poor attachment to parents, poor communication between parent and child, and low levels of supervision promote delinquency involvement. However, no determination can be reached regarding a causal relationship between maltreatment and delinquency. 70 references.