The discussion develops a concept of delinquency that differs in some ways from that projected in positive criminology, placing many of the empirical observations of positive criminologists into a framework more consistent with the classical assumptions and teaching that emphasize the need to view the criminal in a legal context. Thus, the author argues that delinquent thought and delinquent action are distorted reflections of the ideas and practices that pervade contemporary juvenile law and its administration. The text argues that the delinquent subculture is based on many of the same standards as the conventional social order and that delinquents' negations of the law are the result of their relations with an inconsistent and vulnerable legal code. Once the juvenile breaks ties to the legal order, the drift into delinquency becomes relatively easy to justify. However, being liberated from legal constraints does not necessarily lead to delinquency; the will to commit crime is also crucial. Freedom of choice is involved in the commission of a crime, and society often unwittingly aids and supports the drift toward delinquency. Chapter reference notes and index. (Publisher summary modified)