On Determining the Quality of the Delinquency Self-Report Method

Abstract

Increasing recognition that official statistics on juvenile delinquency have serious limitations when used in comparative analyses of juvenile misbehaviors has led to the growing reliance on the use of the self-report technique. Using data from a self-report study of adolescents, the quality of the results of using this technique is appraised by several procedures. Evidence is presented which attests to the generally high validity of the reports and suggests the utility of the technique in both etiological and evaluation studies.