hedgehog

The Mazengarb report was a product of its time – produced in response to a moral panic, where youth delinquency, sexual experimentation, newfound international influence and a shift in the family and social dynamics were creating instability and insecurity in society; the Mazengarb report was a poorly handled government investigation which fuelled the social panic in a time referred to as “The golden years”. The report itself had very immediate consequences, with new legislation being rushed through in heed of the upcoming election, though it had little impact on the outcome. The focus of the Mazengarb report and subsequent response seemed to only graze the surface, as true social reform seemed to be the only answer. In a way it acted as a prophecy, but though juvenile delinquency continued to increase, the panic regarding youth slowly died down – demonstrating the fixation of society was not a true reflection of the situation, but rather the threat of new ideas in a changing society: the emergence of the “teenager”.

Social environment:
Society was undergoing great change: with widespread urbanization, the integration of Maori into Pakeha society, a new economic security with women and youth in high employment. Underlying this was the drifting of ideas and family dynamics in the home. It was a time of questioning and criticism was evident from the more traditional population – an easy place to lay the blame for a “delinquent generation”.

Home:
Links: post war suburbia http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/suburbs/page-5 Family Matters, Dalley, Bronwyn, 1998
Child rearing attitudes http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/2090/?sequence=1

The 1950s saw big changes to the family structure. Post-war, families were very strained – though reunited, the impacts of the war and separation caused cracks in many families. Women had become solo parents during the war as their partners were on duty; some never returned, and those that did often