The author first reviews the persistent historical effort to define a child's nature as manifested in the polarized views of children as channels of diabolical forces or divine innocence. This essay shows how, in the context of the social structure and dominant interests of societies, these contrasting images of children and the attitudes toward children they stimulate have informed social policies and justice practices toward children. This discussion is followed by an overview of Girard's (1972/1977, 1982/1986) theories of imitative violence as a basis for explaining the role that child sacrifice has played in societies. The waiver to adult court of juveniles viewed as particularly evil due to the crimes with which they have been charged is set in the context of rituals of child sacrifice. Throughout the history of societies, those selected for vicarious sacrifice to appease the gods and purify the community were imperfectly assimilated people; social outcasts or outsiders; those who occupied the margins of society; and children, who had no legal/social status or essential roles in society. The author argues that the wavier of particularly "evil" children to the punitive rigors reserved for serious adult criminals is a form of ritual sacrifice designed to purge the community of demonized influences. 10 notes and 38 references