The hypothesis tested in this study was that the presence of enuresis and cruelty to animals in juvenile firesetters would be significantly related to recidivistic firesetting. No relationship was found between firesetting recidivism and enuresis. However, juveniles who were identified as being cruel to animals were more likely to engage in…

This paper explores: precipitating social conditions which might predispose an adolescent girl to deviant sexual activity; experiences which may initiate entrance into prostitution; and the treatment of sexual deviance in young girls by the Juvenile Justice System. (Author)

Compared the family environments of adolescent sex offenders and violent and nonviolent juvenile delinquents with a normative sample of adolescents. Differences between the delinquents and the normative sample arose on 6 of 10 subscales of the Family Environment Scale. No differences were found among the three categories of juvenile delinquents.…

Explores the development of behaviors by using Erik Erikson's psychosocial developmental theory, with emphasis on adolescents. Examines factors, such as identity versus identity diffusion, that may be contributing to increasing acts of violence by African American adolescents. Other factors are examined that may contribute to increased violence.…

The police, court officials, social workers, and the public in general perceive street children negatively: their behavior is deemed deviant. This paper examines the concept of deviance as a label placed on the powerless by those in positions of power. (Author)