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Abstract
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In comparing the children who steal with those who do not steal, it can be concluded that although both groups are below the norm in the rate of their mental growth, the children who steal are more mature mentally and more intelligent than those who do not steal. It is apparent that there is a very close relationship between the aggressiveness of the form of stealing and the chronological age at which it most frequently occurs. The mental age at which a particular form of theft most often occurs is determined largely by the amount of planning required in its execution. Furthermore, it is probable that certain forms of theft, such as stealing from slot-machines and mail-boxes, are usual with children of very low intelligence, and that most of the other forms of theft are committed by children of about 75 I Q. Forgery, however, is generally confined to children who are normal or almost normal in intelligence. The more aggressive the form of theft the later it appears in the child's life. Stealing is closely associated with lying and to a less degree with various forms of aggressive behavior, such as fighting, truancy and running away. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
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