The major components of the juvenile justice system are featured, including law enforcement, prosecution and the courts, and corrections. The history of juvenile courts is reviewed, including critical events that have influenced the course of juvenile justice in America. Current juvenile cases are used to illustrate the legal bases for decisions about juveniles. Landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases are presented, along with persuasive decisions from various State courts. Chapters highlight the rights juveniles have acquired within the justice system. Juvenile corrections are presented in a broad context, encompassing correctional strategies that range from diversion to incarceration. Favorable and unfavorable outcomes of such programs are discussed. Each chapter contains information about the juvenile justice system of a foreign country, with 13 countries featured as separate chapter box materials. These international profiles of juvenile justice systems are contrasted with the U.S. juvenile justice system. Each chapter also contains career snapshots of persons who work with juvenile offenders in various capacities. These professionals include juvenile court judges, juvenile probation and parole officers, and counselors. Contemporary issues confronting various aspects of juvenile justice are discussed, including school violence, juvenile drug use, and mental health services for psychologically disturbed youth. Also provided are detailed descriptions of how juvenile offenders are classified and processed, with attention to the distinction between status offenders and delinquent offenders and how they are processed. An up-to-date description is provided of types of waivers, transfers, and certification proceedings for juveniles charged with various types of crimes. Contemporary sentencing statutes are explained, including recent changes in how violent juvenile offenders are managed. A bibliography of approximately 340 listings; a glossary; and subject, name, and case indexes