CRMJ 320 Juvenile Delinquency
This course offers an introductory survey of the study of juvenile delinquency and the Juvenile Justice system in the U.S. Crucial to this examination is a framework based upon the understanding of two central issues: the social definition of adolescent years in American society, and how the justice system treats behavior which society views as unacceptable or deviant. To this end, this course focuses on: the social status of juveniles of different status positions and the often conflicting expectations and opportunities for those adolescents in contemporary American society, the operation of the juvenile justice system in the formal and informal decision making and processing of that form of juvenile behavior broadly defined as ''delinquency," current dimensions and trends, differing major theoretical perspectives which have been developed to explain juvenile delinquency, and the range of options society has available to help prevent, treat, and/or punish "delinquent'' behavior.