ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the rationale and concepts involved in the behavioral evaluation of delinquents and provides several approaches and instruments for organizing information about youths in trouble. A good deal of information will be gathered from the youth, his family, and from school and court records. In addition, the behavioral analysis will incorporate: an initial interview with the youth and family, direct observation and usually the development of specialized measures of the particular problems at hand—e.g., daily report card for school, selfmeasurement of “number of times angry” and the circumstances, and family routines. With adolescents and children it is more likely that other lesser forms of aggression may also be considered delinquent behaviors: fighting, verbal hostility, vandalism and other destruction of property and belongings of others. The format and process for preparing a behavioral assessment report were presented and a sample report was provided.
