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* Some young offenders are placed under supervision, in residential institutions or custody after only a short "criminal career" involving only minor offences; this finding is based principally on the self-reports of young offenders and should therefore be interpreted with caution, although it is supported by Social Welfare Department and Correctional Services Department statistical data.
Outreaching social work may indirectly reduce or prevent delinquency.
Dr Bacon-Shone said according to the findings, there was no single "cause" of juvenile delinquency, though several factors related to school, the family and the use of leisure time could make delinquency more likely, and such factors could reinforce each other.
"In general, the earlier the onset of delinquency, the longer and more serious the delinquent 'career' will be, but those who are labelled as delinquent experience further problems as a result; this may drive them further into the marginal youth sub- culture and reinforce their patterns of offending," he said.
Based on the findings, Dr Bacon-Shone said the following recommendations were made:
* Schools should do more to retain their marginal students.
* Family support should be extended.
* Work with marginal youth should be developed and expanded.
* Liaison between the Police and social workers should be enhanced.
* Use of cautioning under the Superintendents' Discretion Scheme should be expanded and the provision of supplementary welfare services to cautioned young persons should be further developed.
* A consultative body, comprising representatives of the Police, and the Social Welfare and Education Departments, should be established to monitor cautioning practices.
* Further alternatives to residential and custodial penalties should be introduced, such as the creation of community-based programmes.
* Further research should take greater account of interactionist theories and concentrate on the studies of marginal youth subculture and the significance of family relationships as a defence against delinquency.
End/Wednesday, May 17, 1995