Juvenile Delinquency: An Integrated Approach

Each chapter begins with a Chapter Outline and Chapter Objectives which clearly identify chapter topics, themes, issues, and concepts.

Chapter-Opening Case Studies illustrates key ideas addressed in the chapter. These case studies provide students with a compelling introduction to the topic at hand.

"Applying Criminological Theory and Research" boxes appear throughout the book in an effort to enhance understanding of juvenile delinquency. These boxes provide students with practical, relevant, and engaging applications of criminological theory and research. Five types of application boxes are provided, which serve distinct purposes: Case in Point; Research in Action, Theory into Practice; Expanding Ideas; and Links.

A Running Glossary provides students with definitions of key terms.

Each chapter closes with a carefully written Summary and Conclusion, which attempts to capture important points from the chapter and to provide reasoned conclusions.

Chapter resources at the end of each chapter include Critical Thinking Questions, Suggested Readings, Glossary, References, and Endnotes.

Back to top

SECTION I: STUDYING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

 

CHAPTER 1:

THE STUDY OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

UNDERSTANDING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING THEORIES OF DELINQUENCY

PURPOSES OF DELINQUENCY RESEARCH

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 2:

DEFINING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF “JUVENILE DELINQUENCY”

INVENTION OF THE JUVENILE COURT

THE SECOND REVOLUTION: TRANSFORMATION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE THOUGHT AND PRACTICE

LEGAL DEFINITIONS OF “JUVENILE DELINQUENCY”

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

 

CHAPTER 3:

MEASURING DELINQUENCY

STUDYING CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY

RESEARCH METHODS FOR STUDYING CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

SOURCES OF DATA ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

METHODS, THEORY, AND POLICY

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

SECTION II:  THE NATURE OF DELINQUENCY

 

CHAPTER 4:

THE EXTENT OF DELINQUENT OFFENSES

PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE

RELATIVE FREQUENCY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF OFFENSES
TRENDS IN DELINQUENT OFFENSES
THE ECOLOGY OF JUVENILE OFFENSES: SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 5:

AGE, GENDER, RACE, AND CLASS OF OFFENDERS

AGE

GENDER

RACE

SOCIAL CLASS
VICTIMIZATION
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 6:

DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS OF OFFENDING

“CHRONIC OFFENDERS” AND “CAREER CRIMINALS”

THE DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE

DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 7:

CLASSICAL AND POSITIVIST CRIMINOLOGY

CLASSICAL CRIMINOLOGY

POSITIVIST CRIMINOLOGY
IS DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR CHOSEN OR DETERMINED?
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 8:

BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES

EARLY BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES: FOCUSING ON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
CONTEMPORARY BIOLOGICAL APPROACHES: BIOSOCIAL CRIMINOLOGY
PERSONALITY AND BIOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
INTELLIGENCE AND DELINQUENCY
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 9:

SITUATIONAL AND ROUTINE DIMENSIONS OF DELINQUENCY

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION

DRIFTING INTO DELINQUENCY
THE EXPERIENCE OF DELINQUENCY
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 10:

SOCIAL CONTROL THEORIES: FAMILY RELATIONS

INFORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL

STUDYING FAMILY RELATIONS AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR

SOCIAL CONTROL THEORIES

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILY LIFE AND INFORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 11:

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORIES: PEER GROUP INFLUENCES

COMPANIONS IN CRIME: THE GROUP CHARACTER OF DELINQUENCY

THEORETICAL VIEWS OF PEERS AND DELINQUENCY

PEER GROUP INFLUENCES

STREET GANGS, GROUP PROCESSES, AND DELINQUENCY

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 12:

SOCIAL STRUCTURE THEORIES: COMMUNITY, STRAIN, AND SUBCULTURES

THE FOUNDATION OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE THEORIES: EMILE DURKHEIM’S SOCIAL SOLIDARITY

SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY

ANOMIE AND STRAIN THEORIES
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 13:

LABELING AND CRITICAL CRIMINOLOGIES

THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE

CRITICAL CRIMINOLOGIES
FEMINIST CRIMINOLOGY
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

 

CHAPTER 14:

UNDERSTANDING DELINQUENCY

KEY THEORETICAL CONCEPTS FOR EXPLAINING DELINQUENCY

“PULLING THE PIECES TOGETHER”: INTEGRATED THEORIES OF DELINQUENCY
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

CHAPTER 15:
CONTEMPORARY JUVENILE JUSTICE
STRUCTURE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS: DECENTRALIZED AND FRAGMENTED
DISCRETION AND DIVERSION: HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE
DELINQUENCY PREVENTION
POLICE ENCOUNTERS WITH JUVENILES
JUVENILE COURT PROCESS: FORMAL AND INFORMAL
JUVENILE CORRECTIONS
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Back to top

• “Juvenile Delinquency: An Integrated Approach is unique among delinquency texts. It offers an ideal blend of breadth and depth in its coverage of theories. It achieves an excellent balance between discussions of theoretical issues and empirical research. The book is interesting, accurate, and accessible to undergraduate students. It will be an excellent resource for both faculty and students, and a very welcome addition to existing delinquency texts.”

  - Karen Heimer (University of Iowa)

   

  “Juvenile Delinquency: An Integrated Approach includes exhaustive coverage of the all of the "big ideas" in delinquency research. The book makes crystal clear the links from theory to research, and it describes the landmark studies of delinquency in a way that is at once scrupulously accurate and very interesting. I especially liked the "critical thinking questions" at the end of each chapter, and found them challenging and fun!  This is really all you want in a delinquency text book!”

  - Terrie Moffitt (Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK)

   

   

   

   

Back to top

Juvenile Delinquency: An Integrated Approach is appropriate for delinquency courses in criminal justice, sociology, anthropology, and psychology departments.

Back to top

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Preface

Back to top