Neutralization and delinquency among teenagers

A review of the literature dealing with Sykes and Matza's theory of delinquency suggests that there is a need for a measure of their concept of neutralization that is both psychometrically sound and sensitive to the limited verbal skills of many delinquents. A neutralization scale was according...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Shields, Ian W. (Author) ; Whitehall, Georga C. (Author)
Format: Electronic/Print Article
Language:English
Published: 1994
In: Criminal justice and behavior
Year: 1994, Volume: 21, Issue: 2, Pages: 223-235
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Availability in Tübingen:Present in Tübingen.
IFK: 7824
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Description
Summary:A review of the literature dealing with Sykes and Matza's theory of delinquency suggests that there is a need for a measure of their concept of neutralization that is both psychometrically sound and sensitive to the limited verbal skills of many delinquents. A neutralization scale was accordingly developed; evidence is offered to suggest that it is both reliable, in terms of internal consistency, and valid, in terms of (a) its relationship with other measures of a propensity toward delinquency, (b) its ability to differentiate between delinquents and nondelinquents, and (c) its ability to predict subsequent delinquency among incarcerated young offenders (both while institutionalized and during a 1-year postdischarge follow-up)
ISSN:0093-8548
DOI:10.1177/0093854894021002003