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James C. Howell
SAGE Publications
377 pages. $44.95 paperback.
Updating the 2003 edition, juvenile justice expert James C. (“Buddy”) Howell proposes reforms for the U.S. juvenile justice system, nearly 40 years into the “get tough on juveniles” movement. His data debunk myths such as the 1990s prediction of “super-predator” juvenile offenders, proving that public “moral panic” is unjustified.
Research analysis reveals pathways to chronic violent behavior. For help in choosing programs that reduce gang involvement or crime, Howell offers guidance in using tools such as a program evaluation protocol and his own Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders.
Howell also reviews what doesn’t work, from zero tolerance policies to boot camps to the transfer of juveniles to the criminal justice system. This accessible handbook from a passionate advocate of giving youth “room to reform, to keep their life chances intact” will be valued by students and practitioners of juvenile justice, as well as lawmakers, policymakers, and social services research and development specialists. (800) 818-7243, http://www.sagepub.com.
