Citation

Lumpkin KDP. Am. J. Sociol. 1931; 37(2): 222-230.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1931, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/215663

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Of the social influences acting as factors in the commitment of 252 girl delinquents to the correctional school, previous court record seems not to be particularly important. Sex delinquency was the most frequent offense, although running away, truancy, and stealing occurred in many cases. A few were designated as really dependent and neglected. Over 83.4 per cent of the cases had "bad companions." Nearly two-thirds of the girls came from "broken" homes. Social defective tendencies (traits of health, habit, personality, etc.) complicated the situation in 82.5 per cent of these broken homes as compared with 61.9 per cent of unbroken, and the 82.5 per cent had two-thirds of all such traits. Of this sample, 95 per cent came of the class least advantaged in income and opportunity, and about two-thirds of these particular homes had been given community assistance. When they were major the offenses themselves loomed larger than any other factor, but when minor, home influences assumed considerable significance.