Kids in the Jail: Why Our Young Offenders Do the Things They Do

Charlotte Neff is an associate professor of law and justice at
Laurentian University and co-author of The Annotated Competition Act
1992.

This unique account of a day in the life of young offenders (aged 12 to
15) in a secure-custody facility, referred to as a jail, is supplemented
by the views of professionals who deal with young offenders on a daily
basis, including the facility’s staff. The staff, who come across as
caring individuals, are pessimistic about the prospects for their young
charges. Along with other professionals, they see neglect and abuse in
childhood as a powerful force in determining future delinquent behavior.
Even the most nurturing environment in later life is acknowledged to
have little effect in redressing the damage inflicted in early
childhood. Rather than a source of advice for kids who are in trouble,
or a critique of the legal system, Vasey’s book is more a wake-up call
to parents of very young children of the importance of nurturing in the
early years.