Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The variety of opinions expressed in this collection of articles and book excerpts explores many aspects of juvenile crime. It is a commonly held view that the number of crimes committed by juveniles is increasing and that the perpetrators are getting younger. Some argue that the extent of the juvenile crime problem has been exaggerated, and others question the reliability of statistics supporting the alleged increase. However, the popular perception of a rising tide of youth violence persists. What to do about this problem, and how to handle juvenile offenders are central to any discussion of youth crime. Whether juveniles should be tried and sentenced as adults is among the central issues explored in this collection of 28 selections in the following 4 chapters: (1) "Are Juvenile Crime and Violence Increasing?"; (2) "What Causes Juvenile Crime and Violence?"; (3) "What Factors Contribute to Gang-Related Juvenile Crime?"; and (4) "How Can Juvenile Crime Be Combated?" Each chapter contains a list of periodical references. (Contains 1 table, 10 figures, a list of 21 resource organizations, and 51 references.) (SLD)