Drinking Behavior and Attitudes Toward Alcohol in Delinquent Girls

Abstract

A number of studies have investigated the use of alcoholic beverages by male juvenile delinquents (MacKay, 1961, 1963; Blacker et al., 1965), and a recent study (MacKay et al., 1967) compared alcohol use by delinquents of both sexes with alcohol use by nondelinquent high school students. These studies found that the number of students and delinquents who drink is similar, but the incidence of heavy drinking is higher among delinquents. A review of the literature revealed no investigations specifically examining the nature and depth of drinking behavior among delinquent girls.