The Prevention and Control of Delinquency

In this important classic work, one of America’s foremost social scientists introduces a signifi cant approach to the causation of delinquency and advances an all-inclusive strategy for coping with a national problem of continuing concern. MacIver shows that delinquency is caused by a complex and bewildering interplay of many factors and is not susceptible to simplistic explanations and solutions. He advances reasoned critiques of various theories regarding the causation of delinquency, while suggesting that the two combined factors most closely associated with delinquency-despite its increase among middle class youth-are urbanized poverty and ethnic or racial discrimination. Citing the encouraging results obtained by the establishment of predelinquent gangs by various organizations, he demonstrates that prevention of delinquency is far more successful than rehabilitation.