Juvenile Delinquency in American Society: Race, Class, and Politics

Juvenile Delinquency in American Society: Race, Class, and Politics examines juvenile delinquency and the juvenile justice system as they are influenced by matters of race and ethnicity. Rooted in current research, the book explores how race and racism play a role in which youth are arrested, which are adjudicated delinquents in juvenile courts, and which end up in residential facilities, juvenile detention centers, or adult prisons.

The content is organized into four primary units covering the historical context of race, theories of race and delinquency, the social context of race and delinquency, and current issues in juvenile justice. Specific topics include the impact of race on the social construction of adolescence, measures and correlates of delinquency, social process, life course, and critical theories, the school-to-prison pipeline, and corrections and punishment in the modern era.

With its thoughtful exploration of a critical issue, Juvenile Delinquency in American Society is designed to serve as a primary text in college and university courses in criminal justice and juvenile justice. It can also be used to provide in-service training for professionals at all levels within the juvenile justice system.

James Windell has worked for many years as a court clinical psychologist. He is an adjunct faculty member of criminal justice at Wayne State University and a lecturer at Oakland University, both in Michigan. Windell is the author of The American Criminal Justice System and Looking Back in Crime.

Abu Mboka holds a Ph.D. from Arizona State University and worked for several years at a juvenile corrections facility where he was assigned to violent offenders, sex offenders, and substance abusers. Dr. Mboka is now an associate professor of criminal justice at California State University, Stanislaus.