The commitment of delinquents to their misdeeds: A re-examination

Do delinquents and nondelinquents adhere to similar or contrasting value systems? The results of a study undertaken to resolve the conflicting conclusions of Sykes and Matzas' studies and those of Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin, and Hindelang are reported. Correlations of participation in delinquent activities and approval or disapproval of those activities indicate that delinquents generally hold “middle class” values, but violate them in a search for excitement.