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The study compared the differences in scores on each of the six areas of The Cognitive Vocational Maturity Test (CVMT) (Westbrook, Parry-Hill, and Woodbury, 1972) between two groups of delinquents: parents living together and parents divorced. A random sample of 42 adjudicated delinquents was administered the CVMT, and parental marital status was obtained from school social records. Analyses of variance and F tests indicated significant differences (p ≤ .01) between the groups on the CVMT scores of Fields of Work, Work Conditions, Educational Requirements, Attributes Required, and Duties. Results suggest that delinquents with divorced parents possess less knowledge about careers and their attributes than do delinquents whose parents remained married. The results lend support to the idea that vocational maturity is influenced by aversive parent-child relationships in the families of delinquents.

The study investigated (1) the differences in attitudes toward legal agencies between white and black delinquents, (2) group differences on anomie scales and (3) intergroup correlational analyses among attitudes toward legal agencies and anomie scales. A random sample of delinquents (73 white and 73 black) were administered measures of attitudes toward the police, juvenile court, probation and anomie. t tests of significance and z tests using Fisher's r to z transformation assessed group differences. White delinquents had more unfavorable attitudes toward the juvenile court while black delinquents had more hostile attitudes toward the police. White delinquents had more feelings of valuelessness and hopelessness. Black delinquents had more of powerlessness. Correlations suggest that attitudes toward legal agencies and those of anomie may be acquired independently.

Until recently, the roles of public schools and training schools for delinquents were almost mutually ex clusive. Some public school personnel stereotyped training schools as the dumping ground for teenage troublemakers and psychotics. Correctional workers blamed the increasing population on the actions of the public schools. Rather than prolonging the de bate, it is time to seek solutions to the problem.