Juvenile Delinquency Causes and Control

by Agnew, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780195371130
• ISBN10: 0195371135
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-09-02
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Working from a unique, question-centered structure, the third edition of Robert Agnew's popular Juvenile Delinquency offers a clear and concise overview of the theories and research on the causes and control of delinquency. In this engaging text, Agnew provides an overview of the leading theories of delinquency--strain theory, social learning theory, social- and self-control theory, labeling theory, and situational theories--and discusses the latest research on the causes of delinquency, from biological research to research on the social environment. Moreover, he presents an overview of agencies including the police, the juvenile court, and juvenile corrections, highlighting recent efforts to increase their effectiveness. In conclusion, he explores general strategies for controlling delinquency: deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and prevention. Instead of attempting to provide a sweeping view of the entire subject, Agnew organizes the text around three major questions: * What is the nature and extent of delinquency? * What are the causes of delinquency? * What strategies should we employ to control delinquency? These thought-provoking questions draw students into the text, challenging them to use major theories to explain the basic facts about delinquency, to understand the research on its causes, and to develop and evaluate programs and policies for its control. Revised and updated throughout, Juvenile Delinquency also includes rich pedagogical resources. Each chapter integrates activities that encourage students to apply what they have learned, including review questions, a list of key terms, discussion questions, excerpts of controversial cases, and lively exercises. In addition, the "Teaching Aids" sections provide numerous new exercises. A comprehensive Instructor's Manual is also available. An essential resource for exploring juvenile delinquency in the twenty-first century, Juvenile Delinquency, Third Edition, challenges students to address important questions about this timely and fascinating topic.

Author Biography

Robert Agnew is Professor of Sociology at Emory University and a fellow of the American Society of Criminology. He is author of Pressured Into Crime: An Overview of General Strain Theory (OUP, 2006) and Why Do They Do It? A General Theory of Crime and Delinquency (OUP, 2005) and coeditor, with Francis T. Cullen, of Criminological Theory: Past to Present (OUP, 2005).

Table of Contents

The Nature and Extent of Delinquency

What Is Delinquency and How Does It Differ From Adult Crime?

How Is Delinquency Measured?

How Much Delinquency Is There and Is Delinquency Increasing?

Who Is Most Likely to Engage in Delinquency?

The Causes of Delinquency: Theories

What Is a Theory and How Do We Test Theories?

Strain Theory: Does Strain or Stress Cause Delinquency?

Social Learning Theory: Do Individuals Learn to Be Delinquent From Others?

Control Theory: Do Weak Controls Result in Delinquency?

Labeling Theory: Does the Reaction to Delinquency Lead to Further Delinquency?

How Do We Explain Different Patterns of Offending Over the Life Course?

Is Delinquency More Likely in Certain Types of Situations?

How Can We Explain Group Differences in Delinquency, Particularly Community Differences in Rates of Delinquency?

The Causes of Delinquency: Research

Individual Traits: What Impact Do Individual Traits Have on Delinquency?

The Family: What Impact Does the Family Have on Delinquency?

The School: What Impact Does the School Have on Delinquency?

Delinquent Peers and Gangs: What Impact Do Delinquent Peer Groups and Gangs Have on Delinquency?

What Effects Do Religion, Work, the Mass Media, Drugs, and Guns Have on Delinquency?

Pulling It All Together: Is It Possible to Construct a General Theory of Delinquency?

The Control and Prevention of Delinquency

How Is It Determined if a Policy or Program Is Effective in Controlling or Preventing Delinquency?

The Police: What Do the Police Do to Control Delinquency?

Juvenile Court and Corrections: What Do the Juvenile Court and Juvenile Correctional Agencies Do to Control Delinquency?

Does the Juvenile Justice System Discriminate Against Certain Groups in Its Efforts to Control Delinquency?

Is It Possible to Control Delinquency by Punishing More Offenders and Punishing Them More Severely? The Strategies of Deterrence and Incapacitation

Is It Possible to Prevent Delinquency and to Rehabilitate Delinquents? The Strategies of Prevention and Rehabilitation

What Should We Do to Reduce Delinquency?

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