The textbook is intended for college juniors and seniors and a general audience interested in juvenile delinquency as a social problem. The authors deal with delinquency as: (1) a sociolegal category invented in conjunction with the juvenile court; (2) a label applied to youth at the end of a series of decisions involving the public, the police, and juvenile court officials; and (3) behavior that violates legal codes, regardless of its detection or processing. The discussion encompasses biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives and research and addresses the role of social factors and social institutions, with emphasis on the roles of the family, peers, school, religion, the media, and community influences. The volume also examines the range of programs and philosophies involved in the attempt to moderate juvenile crime. Tables, figures, photographs, author and subject indexes, and chapter reference lists