Juvenile Justice: An Introduction

Juvenile Justice: An Introduction, Eleventh Edition, presents a comprehensive picture of juvenile offending, delinquency theories, and the ways juvenile justice actors and agencies react to delinquency. Whitehead, Lab, and Rocheleau offer evidence-based suggestions for successful interventions and treatment and examine the prospects for rebalancing the model of juvenile court. This new edition includes insightful analysis and the latest available statistics on juvenile crime and victimization, drug use, court processing, and corrections. Special attention is given to female involvement, disproportionate minority contact, and diversity issues. Each chapter enhances student understanding with Key Terms, a “What You Need to Know” section, and Discussion Questions. Links at key points in the text show students where to get the latest information.

A companion site (see below under "Instructor & Student Resources") offers an array of resources for students and instructors. The student site offers practice quizzes, online flashcards, and supplementary documents (including relevant web links). The instructor materials include a test bank and PowerPoint presentation deck for each chapter.

John T. Whitehead was Professor Emeritus and former Chair in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at East Tennessee State University. He completed his MA at the University of Notre Dame and earned his PhD in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany. He has published articles about corrections, probation, and the death penalty. He is the co-author of Ethics in Criminal Justice: The Search for the Truth, Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals, and Teaching Criminal Justice. John Whitehead passed away in January, 2026, shortly before the publication of this book. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his sons, Dan and Tim.

Steven P. Lab is an Emeritus Professor of Criminal Justice at Bowling Green State University where he served as Director of Criminal Justice for 27 years and Chair of Human Services for 17 years. He holds a PhD in Criminology from the Florida State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He is the author or co-author of eight books, co-editor of one encyclopedia, and author of more than 50 articles and book chapters.

Gregory C. Rocheleau is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Ball State University. His research interests include bullying, criminological theory, and juvenile delinquency. His most recent scholarship examines bullying victimization among LGBTQ+ youth, e-cigarette use among youth, and theoretical integration of labeling and strain perspectives.