Child Delinquents: Examining the Market for Criminal Futures

Abstract

This article investigates child delinquency (offenders younger than 13 years of age). The population of child delinquents under various dispositions in the state of Louisiana, at one point in time, is described. Eighty youth are examined using the following characteristics: Race, Gender, Age, Offense Type (violent, nonviolent) Crime Category (felony, status offense, misdemeanor, and felony or misdemeanor) and Disposition (supervision, secure custody, and non-secure custody). Child delinquency is an important topic because the younger the age of first offense the greater the probability of a delinquent and criminal career. Findings reveal very few youth in secure custody and black males account for over half of the population of child delinquents. Over 75% of the population was 12 years of age.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Craig J. Forsyth

CRAIG J. FORSYTH is a Professor and the head of the Department of Criminal justice and Professor of Sociology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He also works with the Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning, University of Louisiana, Lafayette. He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1983. He is the author of over 180 journal articles, books, and book chapters. His principal research interests are in the areas of deviance and crime.

Gary Asmus

GARY ASMUS received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1998. He is the Director of Management Information Systems at the Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning, University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

York A. Forsyth

YORK A. FORSYTH has a degree in management information systems. He is currently in graduate school at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. He is experienced in handling and merging large data sets. He has published articles on piracy, game wardens, and delinquency.

Billy R. Stokes

BILLY R. STOKES received his Ed.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1980. He received an MBA from Tulane University in 1986. He is the Cecil J. Picard Endowed Fellow in Development and the Executive Director of the Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning, University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

Mike Mayne

MIKE MAYNE has a degree in mathematics. He is the Data Manager at the Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning, University of Louisiana, Lafayette.