Adolescent deviation and age.

Traditional theories of delinquency causation generally fail to consider delinquency in the context of norms and age-role transitions peculiar to adolescence. Hence, in this study, an age-based theory of delinquency causation is developed, which assumes the importance of norms and roles specific to adolescence. This theory draws upon the assumption that socialization is recurrent, in contrast to the premises regarding socialization which underlie traditional theories of adolescent deviance. The recurrent model of socialization and that assumed by traditional theorists are discussed, and their implications for the causes of delinquent behavior are examined. Some effort is made to show that the recurrent model of socialization suggests an anomie of age as the basis for delinquent acts. It is suggested that this age-based anomie stems from conditions of normlessness associated with certain role transitions in adolescence and the pacing of these transitions. Further, it is suggested that certain groups are especially prone to an anomic age transition. The role transitions most likely to be subject to such anomic conditions and the adolescent subgroups most prone to experience anomie as a result of the pacing of their age-role transitions are identified.