Delinquents and status offenders: a comparison on selected family and social variables

While juvenile delinquents (JDs) and status offenders (CINS) are considered distinctive legally and treated as though they were different in the juvenile justice system, there is little empirical evidence to support either differences or similarities psychologically. The present study examines intake and outcome data based on 96 JDs and CINS cases who remained in the community. The two groups' family structure, recidivism, and grade termination in school were found to be more similar than dissimilar. However, there was a tendency toward a more negative relationship between CINS and their mothers than between JDs and their mothers, while relationships with fathers were similar for the two groups. Significant, and perhaps related, findings were that more parents of CINS than JDs had previously been involved in psychotherapy and that CINS were removed from home with greater frequency than JDs. Family structure was found to be related to removal from home. Suggestions for treatment are offered.