Offering a comprehensive and balanced treatment, this book traces the history, development, and current practices of the system designed to deal with juvenile behavior, its control and treatment. It concentrates on the processes that make the juvenile justice system work, the people involved in the system, and the programs aimed at meeting the needs of children in trouble. The writing style is clear and concise, incorporating understandable examples and descriptions throughout.KEY TOPICSA three-part format presents the history of juvenile justice, provides extensive coverage of the entire juvenile justice process, and considers its future.For individuals interested and/or considering a career in the criminal justice field.