The construction and labelling of groups of young people as ‘risky’ triggers a multifaceted and dynamic social process of stigma that frequently results in reduced life chances and limited opportunities for self-development. Drawing on case-study data from four European countries, this article focuses on the ways in which stigma is reproduced through interactions and interventions that label young people. Our analysis explores how young people experience and understand stigma, and how they respond to it. Framed within a theoretical understanding of stigma as a form of power, we examine its components and cyclical process, its role in shaping policies of social control, and its consequences for groups of ‘risky’ young people. Our analysis builds upon and develops Link and Phelan’s (2001) reconceptualization of stigma to include reference to young people’s reactions and responses: alienation and marginalization; anger and resistance; empathy and generativity. We argue that stigma acts primarily as an inhibitor of young people’s engagement in wider society, serving to further reduce access to beneficial opportunities. However, some young people are able to resist the label, and, for them, resistance can become generative and enabling.

Mainstreamed handicapped children often experience social rejection by their nonhandicapped peers. To evaluate possible approaches leading to a resolution ofpeer rejection, 86 low socially accepted learning disabled children in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were pairedfor 8 weeks with 86 high socially accepted, same-sexed, nonhandicapped classmates, in [our groups: mutual interest group, cooperative academic task group. Hawthorne Ejfect/Control group, and classroom control group-Social acceptance ratings of students with learning disabilities by their nonhandicapped peers, paired in the mutual interest group, increased significantly as a function of the intervention, Those in the academic activities group and in the Hawthorne control group did not change. However, ratings of the classroom control group showed a lowered acceptance level over lime.

The effects of substance abuse have produced a population of students who exhibit behaviors similar to the behaviors of many youth with learning problems. Often such students are mislabeled as learning handicapped (including learning disability, behavioral disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder), when their primary problem is actually one of chemical abuse. The following issues are examined: (a) overlapping symptoms of chemical impairment and learning handicap that may result in misdiagnosis, (b) student populations at high risk for chemical abuse, (c) preventive measures, and (d) intervention and treatment for chemically impaired students.

The movement towards localism, partnerships and governing 'networks' has renewed academic interest in the voluntary sector role in multi-agency work in criminal justice fields. This article argues that strategic partnerships which service systems for managing offenders are organizing into more complex formations which are poised to alter academic understanding of power relationships and roles among partners. Using Adelbart Evers' (2005) concept of 'hybridization', the complexity of service delivery partnerships and the varying interchanges among participating agencies is discussed. The analysis focuses on the start-up and first year of operation of the 'Chestnut Centre', a community-based project for diverting women from custody based in a city in the midlands of England. The results are presented as a case study of participants' reflections on power and legitimacy in the partnership; experiences of collaborative working; approaches towards service users; and perceptions of multi-agency partnerships.

A comprehensive approach to developing and maintaining drug-free schools and communities is discussed. Five sequential phases, needs assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination, are described. An effective implementation program meets the needs of students at various stages of drug use and abuse. Prevention strategies are effective with students who have only experimented or never used drugs, while early intervention strategies are most effective for students who have a more regular use pattern. Chemically dependent students need referral for treatment at a community social agency. After treatment and rehabilitation, returning to a supportive aftercare school program proves most effective. The approach described in this article advocates a team effort including well-trained school core teams collaborating with parents and community representatives from law enforcement, social agencies, business, religious groups, and the media.