Psychological factors in juvenile delinquency

One recent approach to juvenile delinquency has been to conceptualize it as involving a defect in social development. 74 Indian-Metis and 48 White adolescent males were rated on a scale of interpersonal maturity and differences calculated between those who subsequently became recidivists and those who did not. Findings suggest that, within both racial groups, potential recidivists differed from potential nonrecidivists in that the nonrecidivists were more aware of the abstract principles underlying relationships among people. This finding has implications both for identification of potential recidivists and also for possible differential treatment. (French summary)