Each chapter begins with Chapter Objectives, and Introduction, and ends with Key Concepts, Discussion Questions, and Exercises.
1. Explaining Delinquency. Justice for Juveniles.
Historical Perspective.
2. Patterns of Delinquency. Statistics and Research.
Delinquency Patterns and Trends.
Delinquency in Other Nations.
3. Theories of Delinquency: Bio-Psychological Explanations. Bio-Psychological Theories.
Biological Perspectives.
Contemporary Bio-Psychological Theories.
4. Sociological Theories of Delinquency. Traditional Theories.
Alternative Theories.
5. Schools and Delinquent Behavior. Historical Perspective.
The Role of the Teacher.
School Systems.
Legal Issues.
School Violence.
6. Families and Delinquency. The Changing Family Concept.
Feminism and the Changing Family.
Technological Advances.
Single Parent Families.
Two Parent Families.
Changing Attitudes.
Parental Liability Laws.
Different Types of Families.
Administrative Hearings.
Immigration and Naturalization Services.
7. Peers, Gangs, and Delinquency. Why Do Youths Join Gangs?
Factors Leading to Gang Involvement.
Gang Elements.
Types of Gangs.
Violence and Gangs.
Remedies for the Gang Problem.
8. Females and Delinquency. Gendercide.
Historical Perspective.
Theories.
Gender Neutral Language.
Micro Victimization.
Macro Victimization.
Profile of a Female Delinquent.
Changing Attitudes.
Technological Advances.
Juvenile Court and the Female Offender.
Incarceration of Female Offenders.
Death Penalty.
Teen Pregnancy.
9. Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Delinquency. Gender.
Race and Ethnicity.
10. The Police and Juveniles. Police in America.
Juvenile Units.
Police Encounters with Juveniles.
Police Officer or Social Worker?
Community Policing and Juveniles.
Police/Community Initiatives.
11. Juvenile Court Process. Organization of Juvenile Court.
Prosecution, Defense, and the Judiciary.
Delinquency Proceedings.
12. Juvenile Corrections. Origins of Juvenile Corrections.
Types of Institutions.
The Rehabilitation Question.
The Shape of Success.
Juvenile Corrections Issues.
13. Preventing Delinquency. The Logic of Prevention.
Delinquency Prevention Strategies.
Federal Efforts to Prevent Delinquency.
The Color of Delinquency Prevention
Promising Prevention Programs.
Teen Court.
14. Community Response to Delinquency. Community Corrections for Juveniles.
Probation.
Community Corrections Alternatives.
15. The Future of Juvenile Justice. The Illinois Juvenile Court Centennial.
The End of the Juvenile Court?
The 21st Century Juvenile Court.
Will the Court Survive?
