Citation

Reiss AJ. Am. J. Sociol. 1951; 57(2): 115-120.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1951, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/220911

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

There are no adequate theoretical or methodological criteria for evaluating the findings of the recent research work of the Gluecks. Nevertheless, it must be noted in judging their work that the delinquents and non delinquents are poorly matched on neighborhood environmental factors and that the role of primary group relationship and controls and of secondary institutions in structuring personality and enforcing behavior in conformity with a set of norms is largely ignored. Moreover, the prognostic instruments are not designed for a prediction situation.