Citation

Freeman B, Savastano G. Crime Delinq. 1970; 16(3): 264-272.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1970, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/001112877001600304

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The clinical findings of a two-year collaborative research study by the Hempstead office of the New York State Division of Parole and the Adelphi University School of Social Work indicate that the affluent white suburban adolescent who comes into conflict with the law has a long history of emotional difficulties. Al though the boys in this study came from intact families, they lacked a dependable parent and were subjected to inconsistent child-rearing practices. From an early age they showed signs of anxiety, which took the form of disruptive behavior and difficul ties in learning in the classroom. Despite normal to superior intelligence, they did poorly in school and were identified as troublemakers. Because of the expectation that they would get into mischief, they became targets of parental and school sur veillance. Parents often regarded their incarceration with relief --at least the boys were now safe and out of mischief. Since the problems of such offenders often seem symptomatic of family pathology, treating the family as a unit in conjoint therapy ap pears to be the most promising way to help both the boy and his family toward effective social functioning.