Juvenile Delinquency: Can Social Science Find a Cure?

Abstract

In the first half of this century, criminologists voiced a good deal of optimism regarding the search for the causes of crime and delinquency. Further, they exhibited a good deal of enthusiasm for correctional intervention based upon scientific knowledge. However, although criminological knowledge has grown impressively in the past two or three decades, criminologists have produced many specific findings and conditional propositions but few unequivocal scientific generalizations. In addition, pessimism about treatment has replaced optimism, following the discovery that “nothing works.” This article takes stock of the current state of affairs and offers suggestions regarding directions to be pursued.