Juvenile Justice In America: Problems and Prospects

Despite declines in youth crime rates over the past twenty years, public perceptions of youth violence have contributed to widespread support for dismantling the juvenile court system and trying children as adults&38212;replacing rehabilitation with incarceration as the solution to juvenile delinquency. This collection debunks the argument that incarceration reduces crime and advocates social policy that seeks workable alternatives. The articles in Part I look at critical areas within the juvenile justice system, such as aftercare and the double standard that exists for girls. Throughout each selection, the issues of class and racial bias are underscored, along with gender bias. Part II offers specific recommendations for reform, emphasizing the need to think outside the box in seeking alternatives to secure confinement. Also by Randall G. Shelden and available from Waveland Press: Delinquency and Juvenile Justice in American Society, Second Edition (ISBN 9781577667070); Crime and Criminal Justice in American Society (ISBN 9781577664789); and Our Punitive Society: Race, Class, Gender, and Punishment in America (ISBN 9781577666325). Titles of related interest also available from Waveland Press: Dawley, A Nation of Lords: The Autobiography of the Vice Lords, Second Edition (ISBN 9780881336283); Vigil, Gang Redux: A Balanced Anti-Gang Strategy (ISBN 9781577666547); and Weisheit-Culbertson, Juvenile Delinquency: A Justice Perspective, Fourth Edition (ISBN 9781577660903).