Girls and Juvenile Justice, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2017 Power, Status, and the Social Construction of Delinquency

This book offers an ethnographic study of the lives of girls in the juvenile justice system. Based on rich, narrative accounts, the girls at the center of the study are viewed as confronted with the power of simultaneous race, class, and gender hierarchies. Through this framework, we see how the girls navigate this challenge by seeking status in their everyday lives:  in their families; juvenile justice institutions; and neighborhood organizations, including gangs.  Through analyzing the ways that the girls strive for higher social status, this book provokes debate about how policies and programs may be creatively rethought to incorporate this pursuit.  Girls and Juvenile Justice offers a glimpse into the hearts, minds, and souls of adolescent girls.  It will be of great interest for scholars of criminal justice, sociology, women?s studies, and social-psychology.

1. Introduction.- 2. Getting Into Place/Gaining Acceptance and Trust.-  3. Getting Into the System:  Negotiating Power and Status in the Family.-  4. Horizontal Surveillance and Therapeutic Governance of Institutionalized Girls.-  5. Family Power Struggles After Release.-  6. Navigating Neighborhood Institutions:  Gang Involvement.-  7. Conclusion

Carla P. Davis is Associate Professor of Sociology at Beloit College, USA.