Let's Talk About Juvenile Delinquency [Fall 2026 Session]

society, culture, education · EN

Let's Talk About Juvenile DelinquencyWhy do we treat some kids as children and others as criminals?That's the question I keep coming back to. I teach criminology at Loyola University New Orleans, and this podcast runs alongside my course on juvenile delinquency. I made it for anyone curious about how young people end up in the justice system — and what happens to them once they're in it.You don't need any background. If you've never taken a criminology class, you'll be fine. I explain things as I go.Here's what I'll cover:Real explanations, not jargon. I'll walk you through the major theories criminologists use to explain delinquency — why some neighborhoods see more of it, how labeling a kid as "bad" can make things worse, what family and friends have to do with it. I'll tell you what each idea claims, and where it holds up or falls apart.The cases that changed everything. Gault, Roper, Miller — Supreme Court decisions that determined whether kids get lawyers, whether they can b