Contributors to this volume present and discuss new data which suggest that major mental disorder substantially increases the risk of violent crime. These findings come at a crucial time, since those who suffer from mental disorders are increasingly living in the community, rather than in institutions. The book describes the magnitude and complexity of the problem and offers hope that humane, effective intervention can prevent violent crime being committed by the seriously mentally disordered.

Even though youth crime rates have fallen since the mid-1990s, public fear and political rhetoric over the issue have heightened. The Columbine shootings and other sensational incidents add to the furor. Often overlooked are the underlying problems of child poverty, social disadvantage, and the pitfalls inherent to adolescent decisionmaking that contribute to youth crime. From a policy standpoint, adolescent offenders are caught in the crossfire between nurturance of youth and punishment of criminals, between rehabilitation and "get tough" pronouncements. In the midst of this emotional debate, the National Research Council's Panel on Juvenile Crime steps forward with an authoritative review of the best available data and analysis. Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice presents recommendations for addressing the many aspects of America's youth crime problem. This timely release discusses patterns and trends in crimes by children and adolescentsâ€"trends revealed by arrest data, victim reports, and other sources; youth crime within general crime; and race and sex disparities. The book explores desistanceâ€"the probability that delinquency or criminal activities decrease with ageâ€"and evaluates different approaches to predicting future crime rates. Why do young people turn to delinquency? Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice presents what we know and what we urgently need to find out about contributing factors, ranging from prenatal care, differences in temperament, and family influences to the role of peer relationships, the impact of the school policies toward delinquency, and the broader influences of the neighborhood and community. Equally important, this book examines a range of solutions: Prevention and intervention efforts directed to individuals, peer groups, and families, as well as day care-, school- and community-based initiatives. Intervention within the juvenile justice system. Role of the police. Processing and detention of youth offenders. Transferring youths to the adult judicial system. Residential placement of juveniles. The book includes background on the American juvenile court system, useful comparisons with the juvenile justice systems of other nations, and other important information for assessing this problem.

A great deal has been learned about serious child and adolescent conduct problems, but their causes are still not well understood. This book brings together an international group of leading authorities to advance specific, testable hypotheses about the causes of conduct disorder and juvenile delinquency. Four general causal models are delineated: the social learning model, the developmental pathways model, an integrative antisocial propensity model, and an integrative ecological/developmental model. Also provided are models focusing on specific aspects of the origins of conduct problems, including contextual, psychological, and biological influences. The authors present significant, original theoretical work and map out the kinds of further studies needed to confirm or disconfirm their new or revised hypotheses.

This volume provides an up-to-date review of a topic of current and continuing importance - delinquent behaviour. Correlates are examined within a multidimensional framework that considers both the characteristics of adolescents and the key systems - family, peer, school and neighbourhood - in which adolescents are embedded. There are sections devoted to female, sexual and violent offenders, and empirically-based causal models of delinquent behaviour. The authors review the latest treatment approaches which address adolescent correlates and systemic correlates of delinquency, and they suggest directions for future research.

A socio-economic analysis of juvenile delinquency that is critical of society's approach to juvenile crime responds with recommendations and principles for change. Efforts to modernize the juvenile court system and the general attitude of the public sector toward youth crime are discussed. To teach the youthful offenders involvement in community life, the public and private sectors of the population must respond to youthful needs. Emphasis is placed on the following areas for changes in attitude and approach of responsible individuals - public officials, community and social agencies, teachers, and potential employers. Greatest emphasis is placed on juvenile justice system personnel ranging from the police to the judge. The Gault decision is discussed as a viable vehicle for giving perspective to future programs and priorities. That a revitalized juvenile court system is needed is a logical conclusion.