The Constitutional Rights of Children

September 1, 2011

In 1964, 15-year-old Gerald Gault was arrested for allegedly making an obscene phone call. In a procedure stunningly devoid of due process protections, Gault was given a cursory hearing and sentenced to six years in a tough, boot camp-style boys' detention facility. Juvenile rights expert Tanenhaus (law & history, William S. Boyd Sch. of Law, Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas; Juvenile Justice in the Making) places what happened to Gault in social, legal, and historical context and packs his retelling of the now-famous case with fascinating detail. Especially compelling is his account of how, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, Gault's case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The author's exploration of the intricacies of the oral arguments and Justice Fortas's majority opinion illuminate the legal issues and highlight the importance of the decision, which extended due process protections to juvenile court proceedings. VERDICT Even those familiar with the case In re Gault will find Tanenhaus's behind-the-scenes insights revelatory. Juvenile justice and constitutional law collections should add this book.--Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY

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