Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / The purpose of this study is to conduct an investigation into the intellectual functioning of delinquent children. An attempt is made to develop some notions from psychoanalytic theory which may, in part, explain the deficiency in academic achievement that is typical of this group. The psychoanalytic theory of delinquent character formation contains no suggestion that the factors which lead to delinquent character also produce an impairment in learning ability. A basic premise in this theory, however, is that the ego of the delinquent has suffered a defect in object relationships, or, the ability to form relationships with other persons. It is felt that this factor may interfere in the learning of delinquents in the typical school situation. Psychoanalysis views delinquency as normal, but relatively infantile human behavior. Activity which in older children and adults is considered to be asocial is normal in the behavior of young children. In this sense, delinquency is understood to be an expression of relatively primitive instinctual impulses. In the development of the child, these impulses are subjected to increasing modification. This is mediated by persons in the environment of the child through whom the child learns that certain behavior is unacceptable, and other behavior which can be substituted is more appropriate. As the result of this process, defense mechanisms are developed within the psychic structure of the child which rechannel instinctual energy in a variety of ways. Delinquency is conceived to occur under two kinds of conditions: (1) in cases where these defenses are inadequately developed, and (2) where once adequate defenses have failed. In the former case, there is conceived to be an early disturbance in the ego development of the child which occurs because of grossly inconsistent maternal care from a mother who alternately over-indulges and then leaves her child's needs unfulfilled for lengthy periods. As the result of this experience, the child's object relationships remain subordinate to his demands for gratification of instincts; he remains bound by the "pleasure principle." Such children are considered to be character-disorder delinquents. Their delinquencies begin early since only limited modification of impulses has occurred. [TRUNCATED]

This dissertation critically reviews prior labeling theory research concerning juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, and presents a structural equation model utilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The labeling perspective is outlined as it was originally presented, and the theoretical elaborations that have taken place since are highlighted. Distinctions are made between formally applied criminal justice labels and the informal labels that are applied by significant others and parents. An interactionist labeling model that incorporates respondents’ levels of self-control is presented to explain formal labeling, levels of juvenile delinquency, and future criminality among a nationally representative sample of American adolescents: three waves of Add Health. The findings show that formal labeling was the strongest significant predictor of subsequent criminal involvement and that it mediated the effect of prior delinquency on subsequent criminal involvement.

This thesis critically reviews prior labeling theory research concerning juvenile delinquency and crime; it adds to current work by using contemporary data. Labeling events are described in detail to provide an overall understanding of where labels originate, who is casting the label, and what research suggests concerning different types of labels. An interactionist labeling model is tested to explain levels of juvenile delinquency among a nationally representative sample of American adolescents: the first three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Finally, negative binomial regression models are estimated in order to better explain the dynamic relationship between labels and delinquency.

It has been argued that early family adversity and relationships with parents and peers are important variables in the etiology of juvenile delinquency. Although several studies point to the connection between attachment style and aggressive/antisocial behavior in childhood, few empirical studies have explored adolescents' attachment styles in their important relationships and delinquent behavior. This study evaluated 102 young offenders' attachments to mothers, fathers, and peers as potential mediators between early adversity and later criminal behavior. The young persons completed an interview regarding their parents and peers, self-report instruments concerning attachment style, as measured by the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991) and The Important People Questionnaire (IPQ; Hazan & Ziefman, 1994). In addition, file reviews of relevant background information and criminal variables were conducted. Results indicated that attachment to fathers mediated the relationship between adversity and criminal outcomes. A mediational model was also supported when considering attachment to other adults in a caregiving role. Thus, these results suggest that a positive relationship with an adult caregiver may be a protective factor in the development of criminal behavior for young people who have experienced prior adversity. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for measuring attachment with juvenile delinquents, conducting therapy with young offenders, and future research. / Graduate

[No abstract submitted] / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

The transition from school to work is a highly significant event in the lives of all young people. For adolescent boys, especially, it warrants thoughtful planning and preparation, since the type of work a man does will have far-reaching effects on his life as a whole. The amount of planning and the nature and extent of his preparation, in the form of education and training, will be major factors in determing his status in one of the main occupational categories -- professional, technical, semi-skilled or unskilled. At the same time, many youths do not plan or prepare themselves because of lack of ability or opportunity, and are thereby at a disadvantage in striving to attain higher occupational status. The limitations to individual ability and opportunity are grouped under "Personality Inadequacies" and "Labour Market Inadequacies". This study is concerned primarily with the occupational adjustment problems of the "disadvantaged" adolescent boy. The sample selected is a group of former young offenders -- "graduates of the New Haven "Community" and the B.C. Borstal system. The advantages in selection of this group are the high incidence of employment problems, to which a remedial program has been applied, with some members achieving occupational adjustment (Group I), and some failing to do so (Group II). Reasonably complete records are also available. A limiting factor is the delinquent behaviour of youths in the sample, which distinguishes them from non-delinquent, "disadvantaged" youngsters. However,since all persons in the sample have been delinquent, the findings in terms of occupational adjustment of both groups should not be affected. To investigate the reasons for achievement and non-achievement, the "Determinants of Occupational Adjustment" were applied to the sample in order to establish which of three factors might explain these differences in eventual occupational adjustment: differences in the pre-New Haven period, differential treatment; or differential response to treatment. These "Determinants" are: economic status and stability of family; amount of education; wise or haphazard choice of occupation; character of first employments; and character of significant relationships. These do not exhaust all possible factors but are representative of the major influences upon a man's "working life". It must be emphasized that this is a small sample, which can, however, serve for illustrative purposes. On the basis of the "Determinants", characteristics of youths in both groups in the pre-New Haven period would contra-indicate eventual occupational adjustment. Young men in both groups received equal treatment at New Haven and on parole. Therefore groups differ in their response to treatment. These differences are closely linked to relative capacity for satisfactory interpersonal relationships with staff and sponsors. This conclusion is corroborated by the eventual successful social adjustment of Group I and the unsuccessful performance of Group II as evidenced in few marriages, unstable marital relationships, and a high incidence of recidivism. Psychiatric reports indicated more severe personality disturbance in Group II. Thus, Borstal treatment emphasizing interpersonal relationships, "work therapy", vocational guidance and job placement was not effective for Group II because the degree of personality disturbance of young men in this group constituted a barrier to response. Therefore alternative specialized treatment is required. But the Borstal program was effective for Group I. Since there are many similarities between this group, the high school "dropout" and other disadvantaged adolescents, a similar approach, combining opportunity for positive relationships with adults and help in planning, preparation and job placement, should be helpful to these other troubled adolescents as well. A comprehensive youth employment program would contribute to prevention of occupational maladjustment and its effects in terms of both individual and national welfare. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The subject under study is the social and family backgrounds of a group of juvenile delinquents who failed in rehabilitation in spite of services provided by the community. As a background, public concern with regard to the attitudes of professionals and the programmes provided for youthful offenders is discussed. A review is made of contrasting philosophies in relation to these offenders. Canadian programmes are shown to have evolved from both English and American systems. The detailed personal data was assembled for a sample group of boys (23), all under eighteen at the time of committal (Oakalla, November 1953). Material used included court and institutional records, social histories and case records, and summaries of other agency contacts. These were secured from the files of Oakalla Prison, the Boys Industrial School, and the Provincial Probation Branch. The study throws light on one aspect of the crucial and obstinate problem of recidivism. The ineffectiveness of the preventive and treatment programmes in reaching the ‘hard-core’ group of juvenile delinquents can be attributed at least in part to the fact that the existing programmes were not oriented to meet the needs of the emotionally disorganized individuals who were often further damaged through their experiences in treatment. Some of the implications of the study are (a) the need for early detection and diagnosis, (b) the development of diverse community and institutional programmes, (c) rational and consistent sentencing policies. It is also shown that there is a need for better coordination of services for delinquent and disturbed children. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to analyze information available in the records regarding the manifestations of behaviour disorders in the children and the background of the parents, (2) to make a tentative diagnosis of the relationships of the parents to their children, and (3) to examine the degree of correlation existing between the parents' attitudes and the child manifesting the behaviour problem. This is, therefore, an exploratory study on the familiar topic of parental attitudes and how they affect the behaviour of children. The selection of cases for study (40 in number) were all those accepted for treatment by the Provincial Child Guidance Clinic in an 18 month period, 1948-49. The children were either of pre-school age or their problems manifested themselves before they entered school. Certain limitations were set up. All the children were of at least normal intelligence, all came from homes where there was a normal family constellation, i.e., both parents were alive and living at home. No distinction was made between sexes, ordinal position of the child in the family, religion and nationality, and economic status. These cases were classified into three groups on the basis of "problems" of symptoms of maladjustment which led the parents to seek the services of the Provincial Child Guidance Clinic. The classification adopted distinguished (1) disturbances of social adaptation, (2) habit disorders, and (3) personality disorders. The emphasis of this study is based on the hypothesis that parental attitudes influence the behaviour of children. It seemed logical, therefore, to focus specific attention on attitudes reflected and expressed by the parent in the case work situation. The sample of cases included parents exhibiting rejecting, dominating and other deviant attitudes. — The greatest number of children in this group of clinical cases were those who were affected by the combined attitudes of mother and father. The deviant trait was the predominating parental inadequacy contributing to the behaviour problem. Next in importance were the attitudes expressed by the mothers, rejection being the outstanding trait. Fathers, on the whole, affected a smaller number of children than the mothers. In this group domination was the main contributing defect. Regardless of the adequacy of one parent, if the other parent failed to fulfil the parental role, the failings were reflected in the behaviour of the child. Though parental attitudes influenced the behaviour of all the children, different children reacted differently and in varying degrees to similar experiences. The behaviour manifestation appeared to show itself in a manner peculiar to the make-up of the particular child. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

On July 31, 1975, the Solicitor-General of Canada received from a Committee appointed by him a report containing proposals for new legislation to deal with young persons in conflict with the law and to replace the present Juvenile Delinquents Act. Since that date, consultations' with professionals involved in the field of juvenile justice, provincial officials and interested members of the public has yielded a wide range of reactions and suggestions. At the present time, it is expected that a Bill based on that report will be placed before Parliament in the fall of 1976. The purpose of this paper is to explore, from a number of perspectives, both the recent proposals and the legislation which they are meant to replace. To that end, this paper is divided into two major Parts. Part I consists primarily of a retrospective analysis of the first 100 years of the juvenile court movement in Canada. Chapter 1 traces its orgins from the inherent equitable jurisdiction of the Courts of Chancery and from the earliest legislative initiatives in the United States to the creation of this nation's first Juvenile Delinquents Act in 1908, and concludes with a discussion of the effect that attacks based on constitutional and Bill of Rights grounds have had upon its development and continued viability. Chapter 2 examines the demands for reform that had arisen by mid-century and compares and contrasts in detail the federal government's three major reform efforts to date: the Department of Justice Report (1965), Bill C-192: The Young Offenders Act (1970), and the Young Persons in Conflict with the Law Act (1975). In evaluating any reform efforts in this field a number of distinct areas of concern can be identified. The scope of the legislation, diversion and other pre-trial procedures, practice and procedure in the juvenile court, the dispositional alternatives, appeal and other methods of dispositional review, and the consequences of juvenile convictions are all equally important facets of delinquency law reform today. In Part II of this paper we focus on two of those areas-namely, the scope of the legislation and practice and procedure in the juvenile court-considering in detail the development of the law to date, the issues that are currently facing reformers, and the way in which those issues have been dealt with in each, of the three primary reform documents. Chapter 3 discusses the various jurisdictional issues that will determine the future role of the juvenile court: geographical scope, minimum and maximum age limits, offence jurisdiction, and finally, the complex problem of waiver. Chapter 4 examines another area of prime concern to lawyers, the rules governing practice and procedure in the juvenile court. Such topics as the right to counsel, publicity and private hearings, notice and duty to attend, and the conduct of the proceeding itself are considered and both judicial developments and the statutory reform proposals are described and evaluated. In Chapter 5 a number of other issues not discussed here but still requiring attention are identified. Finally, in the two Appendices, the problems of legislative reform in this field are considered from a different perspective, that of the individual provinces of British Columbia. After briefly summarizing the various sections of provincial legislation that affect the operation of the. federal Act, the major trends suggested by the recent federal report are compared to and contrasted with those found in the recent reports of the B.C. Royal Commission on Family and Children's Law. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate