The section on the historical background of juvenile justice examines the past and present handling of juveniles in the criminal justice system and the slow emergence of a juvenile justice system. Historical antecedents of such current concepts as parens patriae, accountability, and responsibility are examined. The development of juvenile justice from Babylon to the United States in the early 19th century is traced, followed by a portrayal of change since 1825 through the major growth of the juvenile court that peaked in 1925. The examination of the development from 1925 to the present identifies areas of change and similarity in treatment models. The second major section discusses clients of the juvenile justice system and some attempts to classify, diagnose, and search for causes of juvenile deviant behavior. The section on elements of the juvenile justice system examines those parts of the system that appear to duplicate the adult criminal justice system. Another major section considers delinquents and the police; group homes, foster care, and adoption; a juvenile's legal rights; and preventing delinquency. The concluding section examines some of the more hopeful and productive directions for juvenile justice. Notes and review questions accompany each chapter, and a subject index is provided.