The Recreational Patterns Of Male Juvenile Delinquents In Dallas County, Texas

Author

Beverly Ann McNeal, Prairie View A & M University

Date of Award

7-1976

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Counseling and Guidance

Degree Discipline

Juvenile Justice

Abstract

The recreation movement in America gained its impetus from the Industrial Revolution which resulted ultimately in the urbanization of our population. America changed from a basic agrarian society to an industrial giant in a few short years. With the growth of the urban population, the home and church could no longer supply all the positive recreational outlets needed by society. The industrial age caused such a change in the way people lived that an extensive educational campaign began to make people aware of the importance of recreation in their lives. The fact that recreation has become important in the American way of life, makes it necessary that people know the meaning of recreation. They should be able to distinguish between positive and negative recreational habits so that they may choose their recreational activities intelligently and gain the most developmental values from them.

During the early years of the recreation movement, it was theorized that a recreation program would cause a decrease in delinquency among youth.^ Another earlier study supports this with the conclusion that juvenile delinquency results from the unwise use of leisure time.-* These early assumptions were very basic and accepted at the time of their publication. In 1929, the National Recreation Association collected statements from judges, probation officers, and others which showed that properly directed recreation programs reduced juvenile delinquency. The keywords are properly directed; in other words, not every program would eliminate or prevent delinquency. The words "directed" and leadership began to crop in more studies as the recreation movement evolved. This is demonstrated in the statement of one writer who believed that delinquency is largely a matter of inadequate play facilities and leadership.

Publisher

Prairie View A & M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

3/31/2022

Contributing Institution

John B Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

McNeal, B. A. (1976). The Recreational Patterns Of Male Juvenile Delinquents In Dallas County, Texas. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-theses/1431