A Comparative Study of Delinquents and Non-Delinquents: Family Affect, Religion, and Personal Income

In a comparative study of delinquents and controls strength of religious feelings proved a significant differentiator, while the religious category or church attendance did not relate significantly with delinquency. Delinquents' weak religiosity contributed to high alienation, high hedonism and low life-vision. Unemployment manifested different effects for the delinquents, leading to delinquency and alienation, but not for the controls. When the two groups were dichotomized into higher and lower delinquency ratings, the low family affect was a common contributor, but church and family income had a reverse influence. White delinquents and controls are both more hedonistic than Negro delinquents and Negro controls, otherwise there are no significant differences attributable to race.