Analyzes the nature of children delinquency and describes early intervention and prevention programs that effectively reduce delinquent behavior. Recent research reveals that the number of child delinquents, defined as juveniles between the ages of 7 and 12, handled in the nation’s juvenile courts has jumped 33 percent in 10 years; juvenile arrests for violent crimes increased 45 percent between 1988 and 1997 and drug abuse violations increased by 156 percent; and the offense profile of child delinquents includes arrest for arson, followed by arrest for sex offenses, vandalism, burglary, and violent crime. The article identifies early disruptive behavior; summarizes statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reports regarding juvenile arrests; examines early risk factors, the influence of peers, school characteristics linked to antisocial behavior in children, and the intersection of poverty, race, and gender; highlights promising interventions; identifies new models for juvenile justice programs; points out the importance of coordinating and integrating a continuum of care and sanctions for child delinquents; and discusses important legal issues concerning child delinquents as well as key research priorities. A more effective balance of resources should be developed so that the roots of serious adolescent delinquency can be addressed in childhood.
