Oral History and Delinquency(English, Paperback, Bennett James)

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Oral History and Delinquency(English, Paperback, Bennett James) is written by Bennett James and published by The University of Chicago Press. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 0226042464 (ISBN 10) and 9780226042466 (ISBN 13).

From Henry Mayhew's classic study of Victorian slums to Studs Terkel's presentations of ordinary people in modern America, oral history has been used to call attention to social conditions. By analyzing the nature and circumstances of the production of such histories of delinquency, James Bennett argues that oral history is a rhetorical device, consciously chosen as such, and is to be understood in terms of its persuasive powers and aims. Bennett shows how oral or life histories of juvenile delinquents have been crucial in communicating the human traits of offenders within their social context, to attract interest in resources for programs to prevent delinquency. Although life history helped to establish the discipline of sociology, Bennett suggests concepts for understanding oral histories generated in many fields.