This book is guided by the basic premise that juvenile delinquency is inherently social in nature. Thus, any meaningful discussion of delinquency must be expressed in a sociological framework. More specifically, this book approaches delinquency as it relates to and emerges from the youth's family, neighborhood, school, peer group, social class, and overall culture and environment. This edition includes current and controversial topics such as community policing, gun control, hate crimes, the impact of TV violence, boot camps, and capital punishment for juveniles.