This book provides a comprehensive and thought-provoking introduction to the juvenile justice system in the United States. It traces the historical origins of the legal concept of juvenile delinquency and the institutional responses that developed, analyses the problem of delinquency, including its patterns, correlates, and causes and offers an in-depth discussion of the efforts to respond to delinquency through both informal and formal mechanisms of juvenile justice. Core coverage includes: The history and transformation of juvenile justice, The nature and causes of delinquency and delinquency prevention, Policing juveniles, The juvenile court, Juvenile probation and community-based corrections, Juvenile treatment and re-entry programs, The future of juvenile justice. This book is designed as a core text for courses on juvenile justice and offers a sustained focus on the applicability of delinquency theory to the justice process and the relationship between academic research and justice practice. Each chapter begins with a compelling case study and learning objectives that draw attention to the topics discussed. Each chapter ends with two readings and `critical thinking questions' that highlight the key issues at stake.