Wild Arabs and Savages: A History of Juvenile Justice in Ireland

This book is the first history of the Irish juvenile justice system. It charts the emergence of the system from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Written from a governmentality perspective, it draws from a wide range of 'official' and 'unofficial' sources exploring key rationalities that have underpinned the development of the juvenile justice system in Ireland. The system emerged in many forms, such as the industrial and reformatory schools, Borstal, probation, community initiatives, crime prevention, youth work and social work initiatives. This unique and original work examines the technologies employed to govern young people, outlining the specific disciplinary and pastoral initiatives that constitute the present system. These technologies include detention schools, special care units, diversion and early intervention projects. The book also considers the various forms of childhood identity that are employed to govern or regulate young people. From the figure of the 'delinquent child' that began to emerge in the mid-nineteenth century to the 'psychological child' and 'at risk child' that emerge in the late twentieth century and the 'child as the bearer of rights' that has emerged in the early twenty-first century. The book uses a wide range of sources including heretofore neglected historical material to chart the emergence of the modern 'youth justice' system in Ireland. This unique and original study will appeal to those with an interest in juvenile justice, history and social policy, legal scholars and criminologists.