Taking a sociological approach, this text discusses delinquency as it relates to and emerges from the youth's family, neighborhood, school, peer group, social class, and overall cultural and social environment.

The authors incorporate contributions from psychologists, social workers, criminologists, and other specialists who have sought to understand, explain, control, and prevent juvenile delinquency. Cross-cultural focus on juvenile delinquency in other nations such as England, Australia, Israel, Russia, selected countries of South America, and Africa gives a point of comparison for students in the United States.