Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice

Editor/Author: McShane, Marilyn D. and Williams III, Frank P.
Publication Year: 2002
Publisher: Sage Publications

ISBN: 978-0-7619-2358-9
Category: social sciences
Image Count: 13
Book Status: Available

The Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice covers historical and contemporary theories, concepts, and real-world practices of juvenile justice in the United States.

This book is found in the following Credo Collections:

• SAGE Criminology Collection
• SAGE Reference Collection
• Criminal Justice Collection

See what others are saying:

• McShane (Univ. of Houston-Downtown) and Williams (Prairie View A & M Univ.) have edited an encyclopedia of topics related to the important issue of juvenile justice, for which contributors are academic faculty along with some juvenile justice specialists. A number of the entries are historical ("Child-Saving Movement," "Reformatories and Reform Schools," "Boys and Girls Clubs of America"); many current issues are also treated ("Juvenile Court System," "Status Offenders," "Child Abuse," "Victimization"). Biographical sketches cover individuals of importance to the history of the juvenile justice system (Eleanor and Sheldon Glueck, Jerome Miller, F.M. Thrasher). Articles are signed and contain bibliographies, and appendixes list print and online resources for juvenile justice, and other Internet resources. An entry on juvenile crime measurement and analysis would have added value to the work, but the coverage is broad and the quality of the articles high. There is no comparable work. Useful for anyone doing research in the field of juvenile justice.

  E. B. Ryner
  FBI Library

• The juvenile justice system in the United States has been in existence for over 100 years now. If the need for separate procedures and penal options for most juvenile offenders has been quite widely accepted, the specific policies and practices for addressing such offenders has been a topic of enduring controversy. The media coverage of juvenile justice cases tends to focus on especially sensational and atypical cases, which contributes to public misperceptions of the true nature of juvenile justice. Our society has much at stake in ensuring that the juvenile justice system operates as effectively and fairly as possible.The co-editors of this encyclopedia, Marilyn D. McShane and Frank P. Williams III, are enterprising and well-known criminologists. In addition to their own scholarly work-including the highly regarded Criminological Theory (3d ed.; Pearson Education, 1998)-they have served as editors of monograph series and the Encyclopedia of American Prisons (see ARBA 97, entry 505). For the present work they commissioned over 200 entries from 140 contributors. The contributors include some of the best-known scholars in the field, including Frankie Bailey, Robert M. Bohm, Gilbert Geis, Don Gibbons, John Laub, Doris MacKenzie, Alida Merlo, Laura Moriarty, Frank Scarpitti, David Shichor, Austin Turk, and Neil Websdale. Of course, many other accomplished scholars, as well as some junior scholars, also contributed to this encyclopedia.The encyclopedia articles are divided into the following categories: Delinquency Theories and Theorists (e.g., cycles of violence, Albert Cohen); Historical References: People and Projects (e.g., Augusta Bronner, Chicago Area Project); Delinquent Behavior (e.g., race and delinquency, status offenders); Treatment and Interventions for Delinquency (e.g., boot camps, scared straight); Juvenile Law and Legislative Initiatives (e.g., Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, waivers to adult court); and Juvenile Issues and Public Policy (e.g., missing children, school responses to juvenile violence). Although anyone working in the field of juvenile justice is likely to find one or more favorite topics excluded, a good deal of thought seems to have gone into the selection of the topics covered, and certainly all of the key issues are addressed.The entries typically run two or more pages; a few are more brief. They are broken up by appropriate subheadings. Cross-references are noted at the end of each entry; for example, at the end of the Child-Saving Movement users will find a see also reference to Courts, Juvenile-History; Female Delinquency-History; Law, Juvenile; Parens Patriae Doctrine; Reformatories and Reform Schools; and Status Offenders. A bibliography of typically between 5 and 10 sources can also be found at the end of each entry. A small handful of appropriate illustrations are scattered throughout this volume (e.g., Judge Lindsey Presides in the Chambers of His Juvenile Court; Elmira Reformatory). Appendix 1 lists print and online resources for juvenile justice, while appendix 2 lists Internet resources for juvenile justice. A fairly detailed index is included as well.Altogether, the editors are to be commended for once again making a substantial contribution to criminological knowledge. This attractively produced encyclopedia, with many well-written and informative articles, will surely be a useful resource for any party seeking basic information on a range of topics related to juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice. It can be recommended for purchase by public libraries as well as college and university libraries and those serving a scholarly community with an interest in juvenile justice issues.

  David O. Friedrichs
  Professor, Univ. of Scranton, Pa