SOC 220 - Juvenile Delinquency (4)

Traces the socio-historical discovery of childhood, the social and cultural construction of adolescence and delinquency, the emergence of special rules and laws for children and adolescents, the establishment of the juvenile justice system, the legal rights of minors, and intervention and prevention strategies. Drawing from various bodies of social thought, the extent, nature, and social location of delinquent behavior is investigated. Current changes in juvenile justice such as lowering the age of majority, curfews and the waiver of juvenile offenders to the adult courts are critically analyzed relative to the impact of theory on social policy and future implications for childhood, adolescence and juvenile (in)justice. See department chair.