John 1:14 The Word became flesh . . . full of grace and truth." The Gospel of John begins like the first notes of some grand symphony, or perhaps the first brushstrokes of a masterpiece on canvas, or the first words whispered to you when you were cradled in your mother's arms. "In the beginning was the Word. . . . And the Word became flesh . . . full of grace and truth." Who was Jesus? Was he born to Mary in Bethlehem? Had he always been? John 1 unlocks a mystery. The Word always was God. Somehow, the fellowship that is God, the intimate relationships of love that are God's heart, have always been, and will always be." --from chapter 1.

This wonderful devotional book will stimulate both mind and heart. Howell provides contexts for the selected verses and draws from a wide range of sources to illuminate their meaning for Christian faith and life today. His insights are richly rewarding. He encourages, inspires, and motivates us to understand the biblical verses in relation to faithful Christian discipleship. Howell's pastoral sensitivities combined with his studies and seasoned wisdom make this book an outstanding companion to Scripture reading and a gift to all Bible readers.

This handbook promotes a comprehensive strategy founded on evidence-based programming for juvenile justice systems to adopt or enhance their current system. The comprehensive strategy is supported strongly by the broad research base that is now available. This strategy recognizes, first, that a relatively small proportion of the juveniles who initially enter the juvenile justice system will prove to be serious, violent, or chronic offenders, but that group accounts for a large proportion of the overall amount of delinquency. An important component of a comprehensive evidence-based juvenile justice system, therefore, is distinguishing these offenders from others and focusing attention and resources on that smaller group. Second, a comprehensive strategy recognizes that serious, violent, or chronic delinquency emerges along developmental pathways that progress from less to more serious profiles of offending. Priority must be given to interrupting these offender careers by calibrating the level of supervision and control of the juveniles' behavior to their level of risk. The third major component of a comprehensive strategy, therefore, is effective intervention programs that are capable of reducing the recidivism of those juveniles at risk for further delinquency. The Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders is an administrative framework that supports a continuum of services that parallel the development of offender careers. This framework emphasizes evidence-based programming specifically on recidivism reduction, and supports protocols for developing comprehensive treatment plans that match effective services with offender treatment needs along the life-course of delinquent careers, as they move from intake onward, to probation, community programs, confinement, and reentry. Juvenile justice systems will benefit from incorporation of a comprehensive strategy as provided in the handbook.

This revised edition features updated research, new developments in technology, and recent policy on juvenile delinquency and youth violence. The authors underscore the enormous payoff in targeting potential serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders at the earliest opportunity and provide a framework for evidence-informed state juvenile justice systems: the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. This strategy recognizes, first, that a relatively small proportion of those who enter the juvenile justice system will prove to be serious, violent, or chronic offenders, but that group accounts for a large proportion of overall delinquency. Second, this strategy builds on the fact that serious, violent, or chronic delinquency emerges along developmental pathways, allowing earlier identification of juveniles most at risk for later serious offending. A third component of this approach is effective intervention capable of reducing the recidivism of those juveniles most at risk for further delinquency. This framework emphasizes an evidence-based approach to reducing the recidivism of those juveniles most likely to reoffend from intake onward to probation, community programs, confinement, and reentry.

This book-containing contributions from scholars who are well-known for their research on gangs, and selected as experts on the assigned topics-examines youth gangs from a developmental/life-course perspective, exploring a myriad of issues related to gang membership, its causes, its consequences, and various intervention efforts to both prevent gang membership and reduce the problematic impact of gangs. Beginning with research exploring the intergenerational continuity in gang membership and examining the causal processes leading to gang membership, the structure of the book reflects the developmental sequence of gang membership. The consequences of gang membership for youth are examined, as are intervention strategies. The book also presents the first conceptual framework on female gang involvement, taking into account the differences in the paths and roles that women and girls may take into the gang. The book concludes by exploring how gang membership affects job possibilities for young adults. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Crime and Justice.

This revised edition features updated research, new developments in technology, and recent policy on juvenile delinquency and youth violence. The authors underscore the enormous payoff in targeting potential serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders at the earliest opportunity and provide a framework for evidence-informed state juvenile justice systems: the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. This strategy recognizes, first, that a relatively small proportion of those who enter the juvenile justice system will prove to be serious, violent, or chronic offenders, but that group accounts for a large proportion of overall delinquency. Second, this strategy builds on the fact that serious, violent, or chronic delinquency emerges along developmental pathways, allowing earlier identification of juveniles most at risk for later serious offending. A third component of this approach is effective intervention capable of reducing the recidivism of those juveniles most at risk for further delinquency. This framework emphasizes an evidence-based approach to reducing the recidivism of those juveniles most likely to reoffend from intake onward to probation, community programs, confinement, and reentry.

This book is an historical account of the emergence of youth gangs and the transformation of these into street gangs in the United States. The author traces the emergence of these gangs in the four major geographical regions over the span of two centuries, from the early 1800s to 2012. The author's authoritative analysis explains gang emergence and expansion from play groups to heavily armed street gangs responsible for a large proportion of urban crimes, including drive-by shootings that often kill innocent bystanders. Nationwide, street gangs now account for 1 in 6 homicides each year, and for 1 in 4 in very large cities. In recent years, the number of gangs, gang members, and gang homicides increased, even though the U.S. has seen a sharp drop in violent and property crimes over the past decade. The author's historical analysis reveals the key contributing factors to transformation of youth gangs, including social disorganization that occurred following large-scale immigration early in American history and urban policies that pushed minorities to inner city areas and public housing projects. This analysis includes the influence of prison gangs on street gangs. The first generation of prison gangs emerged spontaneously in response to dangers inside prisons. The second generation was for many years extensions of street gangs that grew enormously during the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in large urban areas in which public housing projects have served as incubators for street gangs. The third generation of prison gangs is extremely active in street-level criminal enterprises in varied forms, often highly structured and well managed organizations that are actively involved in drug trafficking. In recent years, returning inmates are a predominant influence on local gang violence. Now, prison gangs and street gangs often work together in street-level criminal enterprises. This book identifies the most promising ways that gang violence can be reduced. The best long-term approach is a combination of gang prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies and programs. Targeted suppression of gang violence is imperative. Street-workers that serve as violence interrupters can break the cycle of contagious gang violence.

This handbook promotes a comprehensive strategy founded on evidence-based programming for juvenile justice systems to adopt or enhance their current system. The comprehensive strategy is supported strongly by the broad research base that is now available. This strategy recognizes, first, that a relatively small proportion of the juveniles who initially enter the juvenile justice system will prove to be serious, violent, or chronic offenders, but that group accounts for a large proportion of the overall amount of delinquency. An important component of a comprehensive evidence-based juvenile justice system, therefore, is distinguishing these offenders from others and focusing attention and resources on that smaller group. Second, a comprehensive strategy recognizes that serious, violent, or chronic delinquency emerges along developmental pathways that progress from less to more serious profiles of offending. Priority must be given to interrupting these offender careers by calibrating the level of supervision and control of the juveniles' behavior to their level of risk. The third major component of a comprehensive strategy, therefore, is effective intervention programs that are capable of reducing the recidivism of those juveniles at risk for further delinquency. The Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders is an administrative framework that supports a continuum of services that parallel the development of offender careers. This framework emphasizes evidence-based programming specifically on recidivism reduction, and supports protocols for developing comprehensive treatment plans that match effective services with offender treatment needs along the life-course of delinquent careers, as they move from intake onward, to probation, community programs, confinement, and reentry. Juvenile justice systems will benefit from incorporation of a comprehensive strategy as provided in the handbook.

This book is an historical account of the emergence of youth gangs and the transformation of these into street gangs in the United States. The author traces the emergence of these gangs in the four major geographical regions over the span of two centuries, from the early 1800s to 2012. The author's authoritative analysis explains gang emergence and expansion from play groups to heavily armed street gangs responsible for a large proportion of urban crimes, including drive-by shootings that often kill innocent bystanders. Nationwide, street gangs now account for 1 in 6 homicides each year, and for 1 in 4 in very large cities. In recent years, the number of gangs, gang members, and gang homicides increased, even though the U.S. has seen a sharp drop in violent and property crimes over the past decade. The author's historical analysis reveals the key contributing factors to transformation of youth gangs, including social disorganization that occurred following large-scale immigration early in American history and urban policies that pushed minorities to inner city areas and public housing projects. This analysis includes the influence of prison gangs on street gangs. The first generation of prison gangs emerged spontaneously in response to dangers inside prisons. The second generation was for many years extensions of street gangs that grew enormously during the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in large urban areas in which public housing projects have served as incubators for street gangs. The third generation of prison gangs is extremely active in street-level criminal enterprises in varied forms, often highly structured and well managed organizations that are actively involved in drug trafficking. In recent years, returning inmates are a predominant influence on local gang violence. Now, prison gangs and street gangs often work together in street-level criminal enterprises. This book identifies the most promising ways that gang violence can be reduced. The best long-term approach is a combination of gang prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies and programs. Targeted suppression of gang violence is imperative. Street-workers that serve as violence interrupters can break the cycle of contagious gang violence.

The public believes that juveniles are to blame for the growth of violence in the United States that began in the mid-1980s. But, whoÆs really to blame for violent crime? Is youth gang involvement in trafficking crack cocaine in inner-cities a key factor? The Evolution of Juvenile Justice and Youth Violence in America explores how juvenile offenders have taken the brunt of crime policyÆs reaction to the high level and recent increase in violent crime in the United States. In the justice system today, juveniles are being tried with adults in criminal courts and incarcerated with them in adult prisons. Taking a historical approach and reviewing current research, author James C. Howell examines the shift in crime policy from an emphasis on treatment and rehabilitation to punishment and how that change is neither philosophically sound nor effective. Long-term solutions, Howell argues, lie in the development of more effective programs, better-matched offender treatment programs, and a more cost-effective juvenile justice system. Written with compassion yet methodologically sound, this volume creates a comprehensive framework that will help communities incorporate best practices and utilize knowledge of risk and protective factors for serious and violent delinquency. Author James C. Howell combines prevention and graduated sanctions in this sensible strategy for dealing with serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. The Evolution of Juvenile Justice and Youth Violence in America is an outstanding resource and text for not only graduate students but also academics, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, professionals in the legal system, and educators.

This volume explores the connections between our own birth, the experience of having children, and the new birth of the Christian life. Seasoned pastor James Howell offers theological perspectives on a variety of themes associated with birth, such as who we are in light of having once lived in utero, why people might have children, infertility, adoption, baptism, and how to make sense of it all in light of God coming to us first in Mary's womb and then as an infant. The book includes paintings, photos, and drawings. About the Series Pastors are called to help people navigate the profound mysteries of being human, from birth to death and everything in between. This series, edited by leading pastoral theologian Jason Byassee, provides pastors and pastors-in-training with rich theological reflection on the various seasons that make up a human life, helping them minister with greater wisdom and joy.

"This sourcebook provides outstandingly important, up-to-date, and comprehensive reviews of knowledge about the prevention and treatment of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. It is an essential reference work for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in this topic." --David P. Farrington, Professor of Psychological Criminology, University of Cambridge "At a time when the basic unit of policy about youth crime is often the sound bite, this volume shows the value of information and sustained analysis in creating a balanced program for dealing with the serious juvenile offender. The book is of value both as a specific set of youth crime proposals and as a model of the policy planning process in a difficult area." --Franklin E. Zimring, William Simon Professor of Law and Director, Earl Warren Legal Institute, University of California at Berkeley This indispensable sourcebook sculpts an alternative response to juvenile crime. The rise of violent crimes committed by youths and the lack of effective responses to treating juvenile offenders have underscored the dire need for a different approach. Some of the most respected experts in juvenile justice answer that need in this authoritative volume, presenting a balanced, humane, and effective strategy for change. The result is a comprehensive approach to preventing, treating, and controlling serious juvenile criminal behavior. Thorough analysis of strategy implementation complements discussion of core issues such as controlling delinquency, developing early and intensive intervention programs, risk assessment, and classification tools. The inclusion of special chapters on recent gang research and juveniles in the criminal court system make this volume the essential up-to-date resource for juvenile justice specialists. A Sourcebook: Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders gathers together information integral to the work of policymakers, lawmakers, law enforcement personnel, and social workers as well as criminal justice researchers, sociologists, and advanced students in these fields.

This book-containing contributions from scholars who are well-known for their research on gangs, and selected as experts on the assigned topics-examines youth gangs from a developmental/life-course perspective, exploring a myriad of issues related to gang membership, its causes, its consequences, and various intervention efforts to both prevent gang membership and reduce the problematic impact of gangs. Beginning with research exploring the intergenerational continuity in gang membership and examining the causal processes leading to gang membership, the structure of the book reflects the developmental sequence of gang membership. The consequences of gang membership for youth are examined, as are intervention strategies. The book also presents the first conceptual framework on female gang involvement, taking into account the differences in the paths and roles that women and girls may take into the gang. The book concludes by exploring how gang membership affects job possibilities for young adults. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Crime and Justice.

"[Gangs in America's Communities] is one of the most comprehensive treatments of gangs in the marketplace. . . . I highly recommend its adoption as you will not be disappointed and, most importantly, neither will your students." -Elvira White-Lewis, Texas A&M University-Commerce Gangs in America's Communities, Third Edition blends theory with current research to help readers identify essential features associated with youth violence and gangs, as well as apply strategies for gang control and prevention. Authors Dr. James C. Howell and Dr. Elizabeth Griffiths introduce readers to theories of gang formation, illustrate various ways of defining and classifying gangs, and discuss national trends in gang presence and gang-related violence across American cities. They also offer evidence-based strategies for positioning communities to prevent, intervene, and address gang activity. New to the Third Edition: A series of new case studies document the evolution of numerous gangs in large cities, including the community aspect, evolutionary nature, and how cities influence levels of violence. New discussions highlighting the role of social media, insights into how gangs use it to recruit members, and the response from law enforcement. Current nationwide gang trends are discussed to encourage readers to analyze and interpret the most recent statistics for which representative data is available. Updated macro and micro gang theories enable readers to explore a recent encapsulation of leading developmental models. New discussions around female gang members offer readers potentially effective programs for discouraging females from joining gangs-along with highly regarded delinquency prevention and reduction programs that have the potency to be effective in reducing gang crimes among young women. A comprehensive gang prevention, intervention, and suppression program in Multnomah County, Oregon shows how theory was successfully applied to reduce gang activity in a local community. New research on "gang structures" and their rates of crime illustrate the connections between violent crimes and the amount of violent offenders within a gang. Additional discussion of distinguishing features (e.g., typologies) of major gangs, and numerous examples of gang symbols, tattoos, and graffiti has been added to help readers identify and differentiate various types of gangs.

Veteran pastor James C. Howell skillfully unpacks one of the most powerful verses in the Old Testament, Micah 6:8: "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Howell illuminates the original context in which this verse was written, while demonstrating how it can still guide us in our lives today.A Leader's Guide is also included in this book, making it a wonderful resource for both group and individual use.

The Second Edition of Preventing and Reducing Juvenile Delinquency: A Comprehensive Framework aims to inform students about the latest research and the most promising and effective programs and provides a wealth of information for understanding, preventing and controlling juvenile delinquency. Key Features Examines the history of current juvenile justice system policies and practices, including the juvenile violence "epidemic" Discusses key myths about juvenile violence and the ability of the juvenile justice system to handle modern-day juvenile delinquents Applies developmental theories of juvenile delinquency to understanding how juvenile offender careers evolve Reviews effective prevention and rehabilitation programs and what does not work Presents a comprehensive framework for building a continuum of effective programs

Intended Audience: This is an ideal supplementary text for undergraduate and graduate courses in juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, and violent offender intervention courses. It is also essential reading for juvenile justice and social services research and development specialists.

Description: Struck from Behind is a memoir--but not the usual narrative of events. James Howell tells intriguing stories from childhood, romantic life, travel, friendships, tragedies, and wonders, and how God was there, although unnoticed or uninvited at the time. By sharing in retrospect how he now understands God's presence in seemingly mundane moments, we begin to sense something of God's way in the world, and in our own lives. Howell has been a successful pastor and published theologian. In Struck from Behind he opens up his own private life as a window into God's hidden activity. When he remembers, then we too remember God, and begin to notice, and become grateful. Endorsements: ""A wordsmith with a purpose, James Howell bares just enough of his romantic pastor's soul to allow us to better understand our own. His earthy reminiscences are a beautiful invitation to unearth the transcendent in our own messy lives."" --Lillian Daniel, Senior Minister, First Congregational Church, UCC ""James Howell is simply incapable of thinking of his life without thinking of the uproarious and creative grace of God. That's why this book is such a treasure. That God still sends us such preachers is a sign we've not been abandoned."" --Jason Byassee, Senior Pastor, Boone United Methodist Church About the Contributor(s): James Howell is Senior Pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Adjunct Professor of Preaching at Duke Divinity School. The author of fifteen books, he is a columnist and blogger who has preached all around the world.

How are we to know the will of God? In this honest discussion, veteran pastor and theologian James C. Howell considers a number of issues relating to God's will, how it is known, how it is done, and how we respond when bad things happen and we feel God is absent or has turned away from us. In this sensitive presentation, Howell explores these questions and provides ways of recognizing the true things to which we can hold in the midst of hard times. Howell proceeds simply and practically to consider personal understandings of God, God's will for our lives, and ways in which God's will is lived. He reflects on what to do and believe when bad things happen, "why" they happen, and the quest for God in the midst of it all, recognizing that God's will is for good.

This introductory-level book on Christianity looks clearly at what the church believed and taught throughout its history. Hard questions about the Bible, theology, and the Christian life are dealt with. As author, veteran scholar, and pastor James Howell puts it, "Great hope rests in thinking through these questions." In doing so, he explores what it means to live as a Christian, as part of the church community, and also what it means to live with the hope Christian faith provides, even for those who "previously believed there was no hope. Study questions for discussion are included.