Controlling Delinquents

Delinquency is one of those social problem areas that calls upon the contributions of many different disciplines. A wide variety of social, psychological, economic, and political forces interact in the organization and operation of agencies of delinquency prevention and control as well as in the lives of delinquents. As a result, research on delinquency is exceedingly complex. To understand what is required to understand delinquency, it is necessary to grasp all of its facets, and the contributions of each of the forces contributing to delinquency as they relate to one another.

Measures to prevent and control delinquency constitute a system of organizations, facilities, and practices with a great deal of inherent conflict. Some agencies even perceive themselves as being able to operate successfully without regard to the work of other agencies. From the standpoint of the delinquent, a total system is in operation, and the delinquent’s experience reflects all the conflict and lack of clarity that such a complex system encompasses. To understand the delinquent’s experience, it is essential to explore the joint effects of the various agencies that deal with him.

The comparative study of the organization and operations of similar agencies in different jurisdictions greatly enhances the accuracy with which the crucial questions and variables that affect delinquency can be identified. This study by Stanton Wheeler and his associates about the handling of juvenile offenders in two different police departments continues to provide a striking contribution to understanding delinquency.