ABSTRACT
Anyone who wishes to discuss the cultural factors in delinquency must first decide upon the scope and subject-matter of discussion. The Topeka Conference was mainly concerned with juvenile delinquency; and there is little doubt that the problems of definition are much more complex in relation to juveniles than to adults. Before dealing with the complexities of definition in juveniles, however, it is useful to point out the great variations that exist even in the definition of adult crime. The concept of crime seems inseparably linked to punishment, and usually, but not invariably, punishment by society rather than by the individual. In the world, there are a number of reasons for variations in the definition of criminal behaviour. The criminal law, since it must have the support of the majority of society, is always a conservative force. The inappropriateness of adult punishments becomes apparent sooner or later, and as a result a separate juvenile law is evolved.
