Description
Book SynopsisAn historical study of the treatment of troubled girls, often perceived as threats to the American race
Trade Review"Gripping first-hand narratives coupled with compelling statistics. . . . Rembis's robust research, careful methodology, and keen analyses make this book a worthwhile read."--Disability & Society
"Engaging. . . . careful and thoughtful scholarship."--The Annals of Iowa
"[
Defining Deviance] brings to life new material on the policing of adolescent female sexuality and provides a new perspective on the rise of the therapeutic state."--
Social Service Review"Michael A. Rembis rightly and bravely uses the example of female delinquency to make sharp historical and contemporary analyses of eugenics and disability. The smart, analytical, and broad historical context Rembis provides will elicit marvelous student discussions of questions of gender, power, deviance, and historical change."--Kim E. Nielsen, author of
Beyond the Miracle Worker: The Remarkable Life of Anne Sullivan Macy and Her Extraordinary Friendship With Helen Keller"An excellent history of the involuntary commitment of delinquent girls. . . . Highly recommended."--
ChoiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. "Segregation of Mental Defectives as a Preventive of Crime, Immorality, and Inefficiency" 13
2. "Defective Children in the Juvenile Court" 33
3. "The Relation Between Morality and Intellect" 53
4. "I Ain't Had Much Schooling" 72
5. "How a Girl of the Road Wins Rides and Influences Motorists" 94
6. "Little Savages" and "Psychopathic Deviates" 119
Epilogue. Defining Deviance in the Late Twentieth Century: The New "New Girl Problem"? 143
Appendix A. Illinois' Involuntary Commitment Law 149
Appendix B. Illinois' Model Sterilization Law 158
Notes 163
Selected Bibliography 199
Index 221
Illustrations follow page 52
