Book Reviews : The Social Organization of Juvenile Justice, Aaron V. Cicourel, Pp. 345. New York, John Wiley, 1968. $8.95
Abstract
Book ReviewsThe Social Organization of Juvenile Justice, Aaron V. Cicourel, Pp. 345. New York, John Wiley, 1968. $8.95 SAGE Publications, Inc.1968DOI: 10.1177/002242786800500209 Edwin R. Lapedis Federal Bureau of Prisons It is rather disturbing to consider that the system of juvenile justice may be creating more problems than it actually solves. Aaron V. Cicourel's book leaves the reader painfully wondering where the dream of the juvenile court movement went amiss, and it gives considerable support to those who have fought so hard for due process protections for juveniles. From his observations of police officers, probation officers, and judges in action, Cicourel attempted to isolate the factors that appeared to influence their decisions affecting juveniles. He persuasively argues, as others have, that factors generally thought to be causes of delinquency (broken home, disorganized neighborhood, poverty, etc.) are actually criteria used by those working with juveniles to funnel them into the system. Conversely, juveniles involved in delinquent behavior who are from intact homes located in stable and affluent areas tend to be screened out. Since the juvenile justice system in the United States has become the subject of intense debate in recent years, Cicourel's book could not be more timely. His