| − | Juvenile delinquency gives us our first insight how the field has evolved. In the 1940s, shortly after WWII ended, a great faith was placed in the field of behavioral sciences to resolve the problems of criminal behavior, beginning with youth who had not reached the stage of incorrigibility yet. Juvenile courts had existed for some decades, routinely a Juvenile Judge would adjudicate a minor law breaker as “delinquent”, and the offender remanded to state-run Reform Schools. It was a brutal and harsh thing to endure for a young person. By the 1950s Juvenile Judges sought outside expertise before rendering their judgment—they first referred the juvenile offender to a psychiatrist for observation and treatment. If the doctor recommended some alternative mode of treatment – perhaps sending an unwanted or unloved minor to live with an aunt or foster home – the judicial label of “juvenile delinquent” could be avoided, hence not stigmatizing the offender for life. IOW, the Psychiatric profession began passing the judgment upon the child as a “juvenile delinquent”, and the Courts just rubber stamped it. While juvenile delinquency was not a recognized “mental condition” by the APA, nonetheless, they were called upon by the Courts to render a diagnosis “yea or nay” for “delinquency”. | + | Juvenile delinquency gives us our first insight how the field has evolved. In the 1940s, shortly after [[WWII]] ended, a great faith was placed in the field of behavioral sciences to resolve the problems of criminal behavior, beginning with youth who had not reached the stage of incorrigibility yet. Juvenile courts had existed for some decades, routinely a Juvenile Judge would adjudicate a minor law breaker as “delinquent”, and the offender remanded to state-run Reform Schools. It was a brutal and harsh thing to endure for a young person. By the 1950s Juvenile Judges sought outside expertise before rendering their judgment—they first referred the juvenile offender to a psychiatrist for observation and treatment. If the doctor recommended some alternative mode of treatment – perhaps sending an unwanted or unloved minor to live with an aunt or foster home – the judicial label of “juvenile delinquent” could be avoided, hence not stigmatizing the offender for life. IOW, the Psychiatric profession began passing the judgment upon the child as a “juvenile delinquent”, and the Courts just rubber stamped it. While juvenile delinquency was not a recognized “mental condition” by the APA, nonetheless, they were called upon by the Courts to render a diagnosis “yea or nay” for “delinquency”. |
| | This system worked throughout the 1950s and 60s. By the early 1970s, psychiatrists began to review the fruit of their efforts. “Delinquents”, beginning adult life with a criminal record, soon ended up in adult prisons. Having spent most of their lives institutionalize, and being graduates of crime schools, they soon became incorrigibles. The APA felt they were only contributing to the problem. | | This system worked throughout the 1950s and 60s. By the early 1970s, psychiatrists began to review the fruit of their efforts. “Delinquents”, beginning adult life with a criminal record, soon ended up in adult prisons. Having spent most of their lives institutionalize, and being graduates of crime schools, they soon became incorrigibles. The APA felt they were only contributing to the problem. |