ABSTRACT
It has long been acknowledged that the life histories of juvenile delinquents do not tend to be pretty. Historically, this recognition has sometimes engendered sympathy for the youth, or alternately, the stance that hardship is no excuse for criminal behavior. One perspective might lead to a more supportive response, the other to a more punitive one. Neither response has been particularly helpful. Despite the wide-spread recognition of the prevalence of adverse life events in the histories of juvenile delinquents, none of the established approaches to management and treatment of juvenile delinquents has really taken into account the likely impact of trauma.
