SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS IN ADOLESCENT DELINQUENCY.

[In Bombay, 371 delinquent boys and girls were interviewed in order to study the various socioeconomic factors. In the majority of the cases, an adverse home environment played a major role. 45% of the boys and 50% of the girls had incurred loss of one or both the parents. Factors like poverty, large family size, nuclear family pattern and illiteracy had a great bearing in causing aberrant behaviour in these children. Involvement in sexual offences in the form of elopement and/or rape were observed in girls. In boys, stealing was a major reason for being in the observation home. 70% of the delinquents did not belong to proper Bombay. With rapid urbanisation, the problem of juvenile delinquency is bound to increase manifold in the next few decades]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]