U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

BREAKING OUT, SMASHING UP AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF ASPIRATION (FROM CHILDREN OF ISHMAEL - CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON JUVENILE JUSTICE, 1978, BY BARRY KRISBERG AND JAMES AUSTIN - SEE NCJ-47012)

NCJ Number
47013
Author(s)
S COHEN
Date Published
1978
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THE ASPIRATIONS OF BRITISH ADOLESCENTS ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS AND PARTICIPATION IN ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND VANDALISM.
Abstract
VANDALISM IS DEFINED AS THE ILLEGAL DESTRUCTION OR DEFACEMENT OF PROPERTY; SUCH ACTS ARE CATEGORIZED AS ACTS OF RITUALISM, DESTRUCTION, OR PLAY. VANDALISM IS NOT CONSIDERED SENSELESS, WANTON, OR MEANINGLESS. IT IS DIVIDED INTO SIX SUBTYPES -- ACQUISITIVE, TACTICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, VINDICTIVE, PLAY, AND MALICIOUS VANDALISM. THE ANALYSIS OF VANDALISM IN THIS PAPER IS LIMITED TO THAT WHICH OCCURS DURING LATE ADOLESCENCE, IN THE CONTEXT OF LARGE GROUPS, AND IN PUBLIC OR SEMI-PUBLIC SITUATIONS. THE BRITISH YOUTH SCENE OF THE 1960'S IS THE SETTING USED TO DESCRIBE THE BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENTS. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE MASS CULTURE AND ACTIVE DELINQUENCY ARE DISCOVERED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE ASPIRATIONS OF MANY WORKING CLASS ADOLESCENTS ARE DEFLECTED AWAY FROM WORK, MAINLY DUE TO THE TEENAGE VARIATION FROM THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RULEBREAKING AND SOCIAL TRENDS IS EXPLORED. VANDALISM IS SEEN BY SOCIETY IN GENERAL AS A TYPE OF DISEASE, WHEREAS ADOLESCENTS THINK OF IT AS A FORM OF PLAY. HOWEVER, IT BECOMES MORE INTENTIONAL AS THE YOUTHS GET OLDER. IT IS A FORM OF PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION USED SOMETIMES TO ATTRACT ATTENTION OR TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. IN CONCLUSION, THE AUTHOR STATES THAT COMMON GENERALIZATIONS EXPLAIN ACTS OF VIOLENCE AS A FAILURE OF COMMUNICATION; HE CLAIMS THAT IT IS ACTUALLY NOT A FAILURE, BUT A SUCCESS. COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN MADE BY THE YOUTH, BUT IT IS FOUND TO BE UNACCEPTABLE. IN AN AFTERWORD, IT IS STATED THAT THIS PAPER WRITTEN FOR A NONACADEMIC AUDIENCE HAS GLOSSED OVER MUCH AND IS OUT OF DATE. SOME FURTHER RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED. REFERENCES AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (BAC)