From the Publisher
"An excellent source of concise, up-to-date information, presented without sensationalism. A valuable reference source that would also be at home on the circulating shelves of senior high school library shelves. Also recommended reading for all adults who work with children and youth in any capacity."
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VOYA
Library Journal
Kinnear, who has a master's in sociology and is experienced in sociological and statistical analysis offers here the first reference handbook on violent children. His purpose "is to provide a survey of the available literature and other resources on the topic of violent children and to provide sources for further research." The handbook begins with a lengthy, well-documented overview of theory and research on the problem of such children, the possible causes of their behavior, and treatments. A "Facts and Statistics" section includes statistics and recommendations from selected federal and private organizations, excerpts from three key court decisions, and one major law on juvenile offenders. A useful list of organizations and a detailed chronology are also included. While the resource sections are nicely annotated lists of books, articles, and videos-mostly from the 1980s and 1990s-the print items represent a very limited selection from the available literature. In addition, this handbook would have benefited from the inclusion of relevant reference sources and citations to additional statistics, law materials, and programs; electronic resources, although available, are not mentioned. Recommended with reservations for academic and larger public libraries.-Mary Jane Brustman, SUNY at Albany Libs.
Booknews
Outlines theories for the rise in youth violence, describes methods of treatment and prevention of violence, and offers a detailed chronology of violence among children and biographical sketches of important researchers. A section on facts and statistics reviews statistics from several organizations, and presents documents, court decisions, and legislation. Listings of organizations, print, and nonprint resources are extensively annotated. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
From The Critics
In recent years, the rate of violent crimes committed by children has increased dramatically, not just in the inner cities, but in all kinds of communities. This handbook, like others in the "Contemporary World Issues" series, presents an overview of the problem and sources of additional information about it The 66-page introduction surveys the causes, treatments, and prevention of child violence. A chronology traces the development of the juvenile court system, notes studies on the relationship between TV violence and juvenile crime, and lists other events through 1993. Twelve biographical sketches cover those who have played a key role in this area, including Marian Wright Edelman and Deborah Prothrow-Stith. The lengthy chapter on facts and statistics reprints excerpts from court cases and legislation. Much of this is dry reading but will be useful for students doing reports. The three most useful chapters are a detailed listing of organizations dealing with the topic and annotated bibliographies of print and nonprint resources. Many of the resources deal with juvenile crime of all sorts, not just violent crime. Especially useful are the sources listed for helping youths resolve conflicts without violence. The index lists the first several chapters by subject, but the resource chapters are indexed only by title In the coming year, ABC-Clio will publish books in this series by Kinnear on related topics ("Childhood Sexual Abuse", "Gangs"). Like other titles in this series, "Violent Children" will be useful for high-school and college students researching a paper.
