Causes of Delinquency

Travis Hirschi

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781138520158
• eBook ISBN: 9781351529716
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

In Causes of Delinquency, Hirschi attempts to state and test a theory of delinquency, seeing in the delinquent a person relatively free of the intimate attachments, the aspirations, and the moral beliefs that bind most people to a life within the law. In prominent alternative theories, the delinquent appears either as a frustrated striver forced into delinquency by his acceptance of the goals common to us all, or as an innocent foreigner attempting to obey the rules of a society that is not in position to make the law or define conduct as good or evil. Hirschi analyzes a large body of data on delinquency collected in Western Contra Costa County, California, contrasting throughout the assumptions of the strain, control, and cultural deviance theories. He outlines the assumptions of these theories and discusses the logical and empirical difficulties attributed to each of them. Then draws from sources an outline of social control theory, the theory that informs the subsequent analysis and which is advocated here.Often listed as a Citation Classic, Causes of Delinquency retains its force and cogency with age. It is an important volume and a necessary addition to the libraries of sociologists, criminologists, scholars and students in the area of delinquency.

Appendix C

Research Instruments

Appendix C-1. High School Questionnaire

Richmond Youth Study
Survey Research Center
University of California, Berkeley

This is part of a study to find ways to make life better for the young people in the Richmond area. In order to plan useful programs we need to know a great deal about your opinions, plans, experiences, and problems.

No one at the school will know how you mark your answers. At the University we will count how many students answer questions each way. Your names are on the answer sheets for two reasons. The study is so long that we have to divide it up into parts; later we have to put the different parts for each person back together. In a few years we will want to know if the programs which are planned have helped you or other students.

The questionnaire is quite long, so please work as rapidly as you can. Answer the questions frankly, even if you think there are people who disagree with you. We want your opinions.

If you can’t understand a question, or don’t want to answer a question, you may skip it. Also most questions have a place where you can mark if you don’t know the answer. But please try to answer all you can.

If you can’t read a question, raise your hand. The teacher will read words you don’t know. If the teacher is busy, mark the number of the question so you can ask later when your teacher is free.

Please answer the questions the way you really feel. We want to know what students think. When you have finished these questions, put your answer sheet in the large envelope which is marked:

Answer Sheets

Richmond Youth Study

Survey Research Center

University of California, Berkeley

No one in the school will look at your answers. They will be taken to the University where they will be punched on IBM cards and counted.

Look at the top of your answer sheet. Your name should be printed on the top line. Be sure you have your own answer sheet and that you are starting with answer sheet number 1.

How to Mark Answers

All of your answers are to be made on the answer sheets with a number 2 pencil. Do not make any marks on this booklet.

Each side of the answer sheet has two empty boxes: a small one, labelled A, in the lower left corner, and a larger one, labelled B, near the top on the right side. You will be asked to write a few numbers or words in these boxes.

All of the rest of the questions are to be answered in the rows which are numbered from 8 through 80 on each side of the answer sheet.

After each question in this booklet, there are several answers. Each answer has a letter, A, B, C, . . ., in front of it. Find the answer to the question which is best for you. Then, on the answer sheet, make a heavy black mark through the letter which stands for the answer you have chosen. Try to fill up the small dotted lines with your pencil mark without marking outside.

Examples

8. Are you a student in school?

A. Yes B. No.

Your answ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• Introduction to the Transaction Edition
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Dedication Page
• I Perspectives on Delinquency
• II A Control Theory of Delinquency
• III The Sample and the Data
• IV What Is Delinquency?
• V The Social Distribution of Delinquency
• VI Attachment to Parents
• VII Attachment to the School
• VIII Attachment to Peers
• IX Commitment to Conventional Lines of Action
• X Involvement in Conventional Activities
• XI Belief
• XII A Look Back
• A. Some Traditional Variables and Delinquency
• B. A Note on Techniques of Analysis
• C. Research Instruments
• Selected Bibliography
• Index