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The article focuses on the problem of the delinquent in relation to community values must begin by recognizing two major sources of delinquent behavior. There are two major sources of delinquent behavior. One is the traditionally diagnosed intrapsychic disorder within the individual stemming from family experiences and resulting in superego defect. The other is a group response to problems resulting from a social structure which inadequately provides support for value-oriented behavior to a large number of the youth. This is not to say that both factors may not be effective at the same time in determining individual behavior. It is to say that the emotionally disturbed delinquent is seldom found to be a functioning member of the delinquent group and that there is a far larger number of adolescents with potentiality for healthy maturation who participate in delinquent behavior as a part of groups than we have realized. Many people who work with delinquents on the official case loads have come to believe that group rejection of a value system whose rewards are essentially unobtainable causes a far larger proportion of delinquent behavior than most social workers have believed.

This article is the result of a study of the effects of a radio and television program designed for an adolescent audience. The findings contribute to the understanding of the acceptability of advice by adolescents when received from an anonymous agent rather than from individuals in the adolescents' primary group, the effectiveness of a mass medium program as a socializing agent, and whether such a program can supplement the prestige and authority of a primary group. In November 1947, a radio program with the rather infelicitous name of "Mind Your Manners" presented a panel of "typical teenagers" in Connecticut. The adolescents discussed their mutual problems, and attempted to frame their answers within the broader cultural context of "combating juvenile delinquency by presenting positive means of instruction to the uninformed youngster." As a result of the first few experimental broadcasts, teenagers began to write to the panel members asking for advice. The letters sent to the program changed its original purpose, combating juvenile delinquency, to the more general and more demanding need of the majority of listeners requesting advice, to discuss everyday problems of normal adolescents.

The most serious problems in the provision of social services may be related to the monopoly structure of the service system. The author contends that creating a competitive service market could help bring about a system less wasteful, more effective, and more responsive to consumer interests. A model using vouchers is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]