| The Battle for Children: World War II, Youth Crime, and Juvenile Justice in Twentieth-Century France Contributor(s): Fishman, Sarah (Author) |
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ISBN: 0674007557 ISBN-13: 9780674007550 Publisher: Harvard University Press OUR PRICE: $91.08 Product Type: Hardcover Published: July 2002 Annotation: 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, sharply 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 fundamentally 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. In her examination of the critical but unexpected role the war and the authoritarian Vichy regime played in the transformation of France's juvenile courts and institutions, Fishman has enriched our knowledge of daily life in France during World War II, refined our understanding of Vichy's place in the historical development of France, and provided valuable insights into contemporary debates on juvenile justice. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Europe - France - History | Social History - Social Science | Criminology |
| Dewey: 364.360 |
| LCCN: 2002022916 |
| Series: Harvard Historical Studies |
| Physical Information: 1.09" H x 6.64" W x 9.66" (1.34 lbs) 320 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - French |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: 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, sharply 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 fundamentally 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. In her examination of the critical but unexpected role the war and the authoritarian Vichy regime played in the transformation of France's juvenile courts and institutions, Fishman has enriched our knowledge of daily life in France during World War II, refined our understanding of Vichy's place in the historical development of France, and provided valuable insights into contemporary debates on juvenile justice. |
Contributor Bio(s): Fishman, Sarah: - Sarah Fishman is Professor of History and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston. |