A Century of Juvenile Justice
This work offers a comprehensive and detailed look at the way youthful offenders have been treated throughout U.S. history. Starting with the Elizabethan Poor Laws that undergird American social policy, the text analyzes the ways ideology influences protocol and vice versa. For example, in the early 20th century the "child savers" created programs to remove abused children from the perceived degradation lurking within the nuclear family. Several decades later, family preservation became sacrosanct, and both juvenile courts and welfare programs were loath to break up household units. The continual shifts that have occurred grounded in efforts to nurture children while simultaneously insuring that society is protected from errant youth make for fascinating reading. While the book is somewhat repetitious and overly focused on male transgressors, its century-long look at juvenile justice is essential reading for all children's rights advocates. Indeed, as the United States veers toward the adult sentencing of adolescent offenders, it offers an important assessment of options and consequences. In addition, essays on Western European and Japanese approaches to juvenile crime increase the collection's value. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, New YorkCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.