Where other books have discussed selected social practices in China, this volume is unique in its coverage of the entire social control apparatus of that country. The contributors to this comprehensive study describe the design and operation of the Chinese social control system. Drawing on data gathered in China, the book introduces readers to China's unusual blend of formal and informal devices at the individual and neighborhood level up through the formal criminal justice system. This social control approach stresses citizen involvement and emphasizes prevention rather than reaction. The various chapters describe how the criminal justice system operates when these devices fail.

The book's primary conclusion is that the low rates of deviance in China are a consequence of extensive social control efforts at the grassroots level. These grassroots devices are carefully controlled by the government. At the same time, however, China is rapidly changing. There is an extensive development of a formal criminal justice system and rapid economic development. The contributors predict that China's crime rate will rise as these trends continue. Professional criminologists, as well as students and scholars of criminology, delinquency, and comparative criminal justice systems, will find this book a valuable resource.

Exploring Delinquency: Causes and Control is the most comprehensive set of readings available in the study of juvenile delinquency. The articles are organized into discrete topics. A brief overview introduces each topic, including a synopsis of each reading.
This anthology exposes students to the many dimensions of delinquency theory and research, including work by some of the foremost scholars in the field. Coverage includes such controversial issues as criminalizing the juvenile court, due-process-of-law guarantees for juveniles, adolescent drug involvement, television violence, boot camps, and racial bias.