The purposes of this study were to (1) identify major problems faced by the youth who, in transition from school to work, have resorted to anti-social behavior and are now inmates of Deuel Vocational Institution, (2) identify the behavioral patterns of youth having employment problems that resulted in incarceration within our penal system, (3) identify a profile of students leaving school who have resorted to anti-social behavior, as indicated by their incarceration within Deuel Vocational Institution, and (4) identify changes in the existing educational programs to aid youth in their transition from school to work. Procedures Thirty-five randomly selected inmates between the ages of 18 and 30 were in the sample for the case studies. Each inmate was interviewed using a directed interview instrument and allowed to express his own opinions regarding school and work. The inmate record jackets were searched to verify the data given in the interview, also for probable causes of anti-social behavior, employment history, family background and educational status. Findings The first part identified drugs as the most common link to antisocial behavior. In every case involving a youth indulging in the use of "reds" and alcohol, the crime was of the following nature: the smashing of a man's head with a concrete water meter cover; the apparently motiveless shooting of a man walking on a beach; the clubbing of a woman because "she called me a son of a bitch." In each case involving a youth using heroin, the anti-social behavior was related to the procurement of the money necessary to support a habit costing up to one hundred fifty dollars per day. The heroin addict is a thief, a robber or a drug dealer. The drug user seemed to feel he could not support his habit through regular employment or have the time needed to use the drugs. There were no cases of drug addicts gainfully employed. Every case investigated showed the inmate to be predominantly self-centered, There were no cases in which the inmate, either in his own statement about the crime or at any time during incarceration, stated that he felt concern for the victim or the relatives of the victim, A major portion of the inmates' records indicated antisocia1. behavior at an early age: the youngest was arrested at the age of nine and 90 percent were arrested before the age of 16. Most cases included two arrests before the inmate had left school. Thirty seven percent of the youth were involved in organized gangs. The gangs protected and provided for their members through a myriad of anti-social crimes. Four cases were involved in gang murders related to fights and recruitment drives. "Hanging out, standing around on the street or in the park was reported by many of the cases. "Hanging out" is a form of unstructured gang promoting drugs, alcohol and a philosophy that excludes working--or the slang term for working, "snapping"--to provide subsistence. Conclusions The following conclusions were derived from this study: (1) The major problems faced by the inmates in transition from school to work were developed before the age of 16. (2) The major factors relating to the inmates' anti-social behavior had very little to do with their education. (3) A major portion of those youth inclined toward anti-social behavior did not want to, and would not, work. (4) Those youth inclined toward anti-social behavior that did desire work were successfully employed at the time of the crime. (5) Anti-social behavior was not related to the inmates' transition from school to work. / Graduation date: 1977

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

MA (Youth Development) / Institute of Gender and Youth Studies / See the attached abstract below