Juvenile Delinquency: Historical, Theoretical, and Societal Reactions to Youth . - 2nd ed - book reviews

Adolescence, Summer, 1999

SHARP, Paul M., & HANCOCK, Barry W. (Eds.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998. 436pp. (p).

This volume is organized into five parts. Part 1 presents four articles that form a solid foundation upon which an understanding of historical definitions of youth statuses and behavioral expectations becomes possible in light of today's juvenile justice system. These articles serve as a backdrop to understanding the dynamics of the historical definitions and subsequent legal and societal reactions to youth and youth behavior. Part 2 presents classic as well as contemporary theoretical ideas of delinquency. In Part 3, families, schools, subcultural groups, youth culture, the idea of "crime as play," and drug use are addressed in articles that are squarely in the social-problems area of the delinquency field. This collection ranges from traditional to contemporary approaches to understanding youth and delinquency issues. Part 4 addresses the legal and formal institutional actions and reactions toward youth and delinquency. The differential responses of formal organizations based on status rather than behavior is central to understanding delinquency as well as the broader societal reactions to youth. Part 5 presents five problem-solving arguments, which range from social science research to justice system overhaul.