The former psychiatrist of Sing Sing gives an excellent review of all the legal, social and medical aspects of juvenile delinquency. He correlates all the findings of research; he examines carefully, with objectivity and understanding, the various factors which are considered as contributing to it, like the effects of war, poverty, broken homes, adverse parental and school influences, physical and mental diseases and handicaps. The discussion of all these factors is interspersed with illustrative case histories. The author concludes that the medical aspect, and particularly the psychologic and psychiatric dynamics of each child, are the most decisive factors leading to delinquency and must be primarily considered in prevention and treatment. The various methods to understand the individual delinquent are enumerated and evaluated, such as taking social history, the various psychologic tests and psychiatric interview; psychodrama and painting are included as methods of investigation and therapy.
The author examines critically the