"The 'impossible' child," the difficult child, and other assorted delinquents: etiology, characteristics and incidence.

Abstract

The evidence is very strong and persuasive that if serious juvenile delinquents are identified as having reached Level 4, a differential treatment program can be identified for them which will increase their chances of avoiding further law violation behaviour. Looking at both I-level growth and further delinquent behaviour, less is known about how to bring about change in the Power-oriented youths than in other I-level groups. This group is perhaps the most deserving of the label "Impossible Child." Continuing attempts to treat the Power-oriented offender in experimental programs is extremely important because this group includes the most serious offenders (the most felony-type crimes and the most assaultive crimes). More research is also needed on the treatment of the Passive Conformist group. We need to know more about the reasons for the short-term success and the long-term failure. Although this subtype does not commit as serious crimes as the other I3 subtypes, there is some evidence that there is a persistence to the offence behaviour which continues into adulthood, producing highly recidivistic individuals.