Gender, Justice and Welfare in Britain,1900-1950: Bad Girls in Britain, 1900-1950

The first major study of the history of British bad girls, this book uses a wide range of professional, popular, and personal texts to explore the experiences of girls in the 20th century juvenile justice system. It examines the processes leading to their definition as variously delinquent, defective or neglected and analyzes the different possibilities for public and private reform made available to them. It shows how bad girls, though few in number, posed a recurring challenge to established generational and gender orders, and questions the popular contemporary belief that rising delinquency among girls has been the product of late-20th century social changes. The first major study of the history of British 'bad girls', this book uses a wide range of professional, popular and personal texts to explore the experiences of girls in the twentieth-century juvenile justice system. It examines the processes leading to their definition as variously delinquent, defective or neglected, stressing the complexity of their sexual and other transgressions. It analyses the different possibilites for public and private reform made available to them, emphasising the crucial connections between criminal justice and charitable facilities. It shows how 'bad girls', though few in number, posed a recurring challenge to established generational and gender orders, and questions the popular contemporary belief that 'rising'delinquency among girls has been the product of late twentieth-century social changes "The first major study of the history of British 'bad girls', this book uses a range of professional, popular and personal sources to explore the experiences of girls in the early juvenile justice system. It highlights the role of the voluntary sector in the creation of the modern welfare state, showing how that state relied on religious and charitable bodies for the care and reform of girls defined as both dangerous and endangered, as sinners and citizens. 'Bad girls' are not 'new'. The lively investigation shows how they have posed a recurring challenge to established generational and gender orders, and demonstrates how their construction and treatment was central to the development of modern notions of citizenship and justice."--Jacket The first major study of the history of British 'bad girls', this book uses a wide range of professional, popular and personal texts to explore the experiences of girls in the twentieth century juvenile justice system. It examines the processes leading to their definition as variously delinquent, defective or neglected and analyses the different possibilities for public and private reform made available to them. It shows how 'bad girls', though few in number, posed a recurring challenge to established generational and gender orders, and questions the popular contemporary belief that 'rising' d Front Matter....Pages i-x Defining....Pages 1-16 Counting....Pages 17-50 Policing....Pages 51-79 Reforming....Pages 80-106 Writing....Pages 107-134 Diagnosing....Pages 135-161 Redefining....Pages 162-172 Back Matter....Pages 173-228 This is a study of the history of British bad girls and uses a wide range of professional, popular and personal texts to explore the experiences of girls in the 20th century juvenile justice system