He argued that, as a juvenile, everyone engages in some form of delinquent behavior. And he correctly pointed out that not everyone who engages in delinquency is caught and, therefore, labeled delinquent.From personal experience I think this is correct.Tannenbaum was also correct in saying that parents, teachers, and peers sometimes over-react to juveniles caught in an act of delinquency. He was again on firm ground in asserting that these occasional over-reactions could actually produce more delinquency.
When I was a kid in the 50's there was one kid whose cards were stacked basically against him from the start.
We think he died in Prison. (Thanks Mom!)
- His father was a career criminal who was dead. So his mother had to raise all the kids. Him and two older sisters iirc.
- His mother hated him (really). She always said he was no good so he acted like it. He stole a car and took two others along for the joy ride. They got busted by the cops.
- At court his mother told the judge he was no good and to to LOCK HIM UP, So the judge did. The other two got off with a slap on the wrist thanks to supportive parents.
- Bad kid goes off to Juvy jail, gets worse and breaks out of Juvy jail. (with a kid who killed his father - nice, huh)
- Both get caught in another stolen car, repeat juvy jail in/out cycle over and over.
- Out of jail at 18, disappears from neighborhood (we didn't miss him).
- Pops up a few years later a full blown career criminal. Now a Hi-jacking specialist.
There were other kids in the hood without a father due to war and 'stuff', but their mothers didn't hate them. We turned out okay.
“There were other kids in the hood without a father due to war and ‘stuff’, but their mothers didn’t hate them. We turned out okay. “
Sounds like my old neighborhood. You either joined the police, the military, or went to prison.