Crime scholar dies at 73; cited society's failures to help youth

By Los Angeles Times

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Joan McCord, 73, a Temple University criminologist who often debunked common wisdom about the effectiveness of many of the most accepted social-intervention programs, died of lung cancer Feb. 24 at her home in Narberth, Pa.

Ms. McCord was the author of many books and dozens of articles. Many of them examined various programs aimed at diverting juveniles from crime, and her results invariably were surprising.

Among other things, she found that boys clubs, summer camps, Scared Straight prison-visitation programs and police-led drug-education programs in schools often did not make a difference — and in some cases had a negative effect — on whether at-risk youths later committed crimes or became alcoholics.

A native of New York City, Ms. McCord received her bachelor's and doctoral degrees from Stanford University and also did graduate work at Harvard University. She went to Temple in 1987 as a professor in its department of criminal justice.

Ms. McCord is survived by two sons, a former ward whom she considered a family member, and four grandsons.

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