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Recognizing Delinquents Who May Need Special Help to Avoid Criminal Conviction in Adult Life

NCJ Number
133685
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 42 Issue: 4 Dated: (1991) Pages: 35-40
Author(s)
W K Brown; B Zimmerman; R L Jenkins; W A Rhodes
Date Published
1991
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study assesses the likelihood that a delinquent juvenile will go on to criminal behavior in adult life.
Abstract
This study is based on data from a 10- to 25-year followup of 500 randomly selected adjudicated delinquents from the files of the Dauphin County (Pennsylvania) Juvenile Probation Department and 500 randomly selected adjudicated delinquents from the files of the Erie County (Pennsylvania) Juvenile Probation Department. One finding is that the great majority of the subjects, when they first came in contact with juvenile justice through the juvenile probation department, were not living with both natural parents. These findings indicate a close relationship between family disorganization and delinquency. Among the subjects studied, those most likely to have convictions in adult court are those of younger age at first referral, especially those age 12 and younger; those initially referred for more serious offenses; those whose initial referral was for one separate episode of delinquent behavior; those whose initial referral was for more than one category of offense; those not adjudicated on initial referral; those who had been suspended from school; and those of IQ below 90. 1 table and 10 references