This course examines the history of “juvenile delinquency” as a societal category and as a social problem. While the main focus is on competing theories of delinquent behavior and the relative effectiveness of various policy responses to juvenile crime, the course will also focus extensively on media portrayals of juvenile criminals and the broader topic of the social construction of the juvenile crime problem. Specific topics include decriminalization; deinstitutionalization; court diversion; radical nonintervention; community arbitration; and community-based corrections.
Semester Offered
Spring