The theme of this issue--discovering virtues in delinquents--is an excellent reminder of the power of perception. "Virtue" and "delinquents" are two words that do not seem to belong in the same sentence, and by positioning them together, one is challenged to perceive them in a different way. What one often fails to recognize is that seeing a…

Advances in neuroscience are providing fresh insights about emotional and behavioral problems of children and youth. However, the flood of brain-related articles is a mixed blessing. Some popular authors on the brain, as well as certain researchers, take a very narrow view of attributing complex social problems to brain disorder. The effect is to…

While rhetoric about strength-based approaches abounds, this perspective has not penetrated the front lines of practice. Many programs serving troubled youngsters are still mired in a deficit and deviance orientation. This article provides practical strategies for assessing the strengths of children and developing interventions to tap their assets…

American social and educational interventions are often designed for children and youth who have risk factors or destructive behaviors. Effective strategies can be designed to assist youth to grow up to be happy, healthy, productive adults before they show negative characteristics. Restorative Practices, an emerging interdisciplinary field, offers…

Autonomy is a basic human need having influence on motivation. Facilitating student autonomy is an essential ingredient of effective programs for maximizing internalized change and increasing motivation in troubled and troubling youth. This article examines the theoretical concepts of autonomy and control related to choices and considers their…

A long-established agency for troubled children was following a philosophy based on behavioral control and treatment of pathology. As staff examined their beliefs about the process of change, the climate evolved from enforcing behavior control to empowering youth to develop positive strengths. A charter school was created and new behavior…