NCJ Number
78894
Date Published
1981
Length
569 pages
Annotation
This monograph provides a case study in intergovernmental relations in order to trace the evolution of juvenile delinquency prevention efforts by philanthropists, criminologists, law enforcement officers, and legislators.
Abstract
The discussion explicates historical public and private efforts to define the unique status of childhood and discover methods to deal with juvenile crime. Three distinct eras of prevention reform are identified in the monograph: the Colonial and New Republic periods, when retribution and punishment were autocratically prescribed for youthful offenders; the Jacksonian years through the Gilded Age, when detention and restraint were adopted to control juvenile misbehavior; and the Progressive Era through the 1960's, when the causes of delinquency were first examined and law enforcement began specialized involvement in the field of delinquency. In addition, a fourth prevention era was introduced with passage of the 1961 Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Offenses Control Act; the Federal Government assumed nationwide leadership for decreasing juvenile delinquency with this legislation. The paper covers the emerging role of the new Federal superagency, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and of law enforcement in delinquency prevention. Next, the monograph examines the recent role that the California government and law enforcement agencies have played in guiding State policy on juvenile delinquency prevention, including the California Youth Authority. Finally, the rising consciousness for delinquency prevention in the California resort communities of southern Santa Barbara County are examined via a case study of the flow of Federal, State, local, and private monies into the area. This influx of funds resulted in a rapid proliferation of youth-serving agencies and governmental commissions. The evolution of the informal juvenile justice system is analyzed by looking into the types of youth-serving agencies that were created. The monograph concludes that prevention efforts were not given a realistic chance to prove their ability or inability to reduce juvenile crime. Tables, figures, chapter notes, section appendixes of related data, and a bibliography of over 300 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)