The study and practice of juvenile law is inherently interdisciplinary-a successful practitioner must understand not only the legal implications in the field, but also have a solid grounding in child psychology, child development, neuroscience, sociology, criminology, and social work. The best child-advocates in the law have a firm familiarity with and understanding of the value these other disciplines provide. Children and the Law is a unique coursebook that will revolutionize the way students learn and apply juvenile law. By incorporating the interdisciplinary topics necessary to understand the best practices in child law, author Katherine Federle has carefully selected a vast array of articles, studies, research, cases and statutes that allow students to best understand the law and also help bridge the divide between theory and practice. The book is separated into four main sections: Children and Crime, Children and Protection, Children and Restraints on Freedom, and Children and Decision-Making.
Each section in Children and the Law also includes a series of questions, exercises, and problems that encourage students to critically examine legal doctrine and policy in light of available scientific and socio-scientific scholarship.