Review of Confronting youth in Europe – Juvenile crime and juvenile justice, ed. by Lode Walgrave and Jill Mehlbye (1998).

Source: (1998) Copenhagen: AKF: Institute of Local Government Studies.

This is a long review of a book consisting of a collection of essays about juvenile crime and juvenile in the various countries of Europe (the collection being edited by Lode Walgrave and Jill Mehlbye). As the review indicates, the book deals with the problems of juvenile crime as manifested in rates and types of juvenile delinquency; systems of intervention for juvenile crime; and prevention strategies. Scanning most of the countries in Europe, the review essay covers a number of topics: historical trends with respect to juvenile crime and justice; the tension between welfare and justice approaches; procedures for delinquent juveniles; rates and types of juvenile offenses; and developments in juvenile policies and prevention strategies. One of the chief observations in the review is the considerable diversity at this point in time among European countries in social and cultural contexts, juridical options, and available data.