As used in the book, "youth policy" describes not only government initiatives and legislation but a set of attitudes that determine the ways in which adults and youth interact. A chapter on the nature of adolescence reviews theories of adolescence and then discusses issues related to the civil status of youth and how legal ambiguity can add pressure to the world of youth. The chapter concludes with a checklist of needs among youth. A chapter on sport and leisure evaluates the recent history of sport and recreational provision for youth. This enterprise is viewed by the author as not only reflecting the needs of a particular group but also a concern to integrate and control youth. A chapter on "leaving home" underlines a societal concern about the independence of youth. An examination of recent housing and social-security policy concludes that current policy toward youth who face the challenge of independence is based on the intent to discourage a "dependency culture." Other chapters assess secondary education, youth employment and vocational training, youth work and in formal education, health services for youth, empowerment and child welfare, juvenile justice policy in England and Wales, and the adolescent as consumer. Overall, the book recommends the creation of the office of a Minister for Young People to set youth policy and the use of youth impact statements at national and local levels. 9 figures, 7 tables, chapter references, and name and subject indexes