Studies of delinquency have recently shifted their emphasis from social structures that motivate delinquent acts to those that define an act as delinquent. This shift suggests that preventing behavior from being labeled delinquent could prevent the occurrence of additional or more serious delinquency. A study of Chicago communities demonstrated…

In 1997, the Board on Children, Youth, and Families launched the Frontiers of Research on Children, Youth, and Families Initiative to highlight recent policy-relevant research on children, youth, and families conducted by young and mid-career researchers. The initiative sought to encourage more sustained interactions between these researchers and…

Although our society has made substantial investments in research and programs based on the idea that communities affect families and children, significant questions have emerged about the validity of the link between communities, children, and families. This book, presented in four sections, focuses on how communities undergird or undermine human…