The battle for children : World War II, youth crime, and juvenile justice in twentieth-century France / Sarah Fishman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fishman, Sarah, 1957-

Series:

Harvard historical studies ; v. 142.

Harvard historical studies ; 142

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Juvenile delinquency--France--History--20th century.

Juvenile delinquency.

Juvenile justice, Administration of--France--History--20th century.

Juvenile justice, Administration of.

History.

France--History--1945-.

France.

Physical Description:

xi, 303 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. ; London : Harvard University Press, 2002.

Summary:

The Battle for Children links two major areas of historical inquiry: crime and delinquency with war and social change. In a study based on impressive archival research, Sarah Fishman reveals the impact of the Vichy regime on one of history's most silent groups--children--and offers enlightening new information about the Vichy administration. Fishman examines how French children experienced the events of war and the German occupation, demonstrating that economic deprivation, not family dislocation, drove up juvenile crime rates. Wartime circumstances led authorities to view delinquent minors as victims, and provided the opportunity for reformers in psychiatry, social work, and law to transform France's punitive juvenile justice system into a profoundly therapeutic one. Vichy-era legislation thus formed the foundation of the modern juvenile justice system in France, which rarely incarcerates delinquent youth.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-291) and index.

ISBN:

0674007557

OCLC:

49226039