Characteristics of Juvenile Delinquents with Accomplices

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors related to delinquency with accomplices, since offenses with accomplices are a characteristic of juvenile delinquency. The analysis employs data consisting of male delinquents who entered a juvenile classification home from 1986 to 1989. The information related to delinquents was collected from psychologists who took charge of diagnoses of the delinquents. Findings indicated that the factor of existence of accomplices was not attributed to belonging to deviant groups alone, although it was strongly related. In addition, the analysis found that delinquents isolated from peers were more likely to come from families whose guardians were less stable than were those having delinquent peers. The former tended to commit crimes by themselves, while the latter had a tendency to offend with accomplices.