DELINQUENCY BY ASSOCIATION?

Abstract

This study examined whether at-risk youths would be more likely to commit major criminal offences following their continuous association with convicted delinquents in community-based intervention programme. One hundred and ten male subjects, aged 15-21 and matched for socio-demographic background, were studied. Four groups were formed: two which received the progamme--convicted youths (n=43), and at-risk youngsters (n=31)--and two which were placed on waiting lists--convicted (n=19) and at-risk (n=17) youths. Results showed that the at-risk group failed to differ from their comparison group regarding conviction rates at 16-months follow-up, namely, 9{middle dot}7 and 11{middle dot}8 per cent. respectively. The length of continuous association with convicted offenders (ie. 14 weeks or 28 weeks) did not increase the likelihood of major criminal involvement. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that, where pre-programme free association fails to influence at-risk youths to commit major offences, then mixed participation in a more structured controlled setting is just as unlikely to do so. There were also suggestions that recent-infrequent offenders who had received the programme were much more likely to be reconvicted during 16-months follow-up than both frequent and, especially, non-recent offenders. Subject to controlled confirmation, it is tentatively hypothesised that it is the recent-infrequent offenders who may have the highest risk of being adversely influenced by association with frequent offenders in community-based programmes.