ABSTRACT
A factor which leaves no doubt of its importance in the backgrounds of these Approved School girls is the broken home. Calculated merely from those broken by death, separation, divorce and desertion, without including splits due to illegitimacy, and causes such as parental imprisonment or illness, the figures are 52·2 per cent for the 500 sample, and 51 per cent for the 100 sample. From what the writer can trace this seems to exceed the figure found in any major research into male juvenile delinquency. Dr Epps' Borstal Group 1 containing 45·7 per cent Approved School failures, had only 30·6 per cent with homes broken by death, divorce and separation; her subsequent study of 100 recidivist Borstal girls 2 had 35 per cent with homes broken by divorce and separation alone 1 . (Figures for broken homes for these reasons given by Charlotte Banks 3 for samples of boy delinquents in Table IX of Stephanos: Studies in Psychology, pp. 173-203 show totals of 33 per cent (Burt): 4 44 per cent Borstal and Detention Centre Groups and 9 per cent (Douglas) for the normal population.)
