This book addresses the discrepancy between efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy and support of adolescent parenthood, which is arguably America's greatest unrecognized public health crisis. It proposes a feasible legal procedure as the basis for ensuring that adolescents' babies have competent parents with the resources and environments they need.

This book addresses the dilemma created by the discrepancy between our efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy and our support of adolescent parenthood, which the author argues is America's greatest unrecognized public health crisis. It is the most preventable cause of crime and welfare dependency, and because we hold no expectations for parents who conceive and give birth to children, rates of child neglect and abuse in the United States far exceed those of other developed nations. Westman explores the circumstances and values that make motherhood seem to be girls' best option and that induce males to conceive without the ability to support their children. It proposes a feasible legal procedure as the basis for ensuring that adolescents' babies have competent parents with the resources and environments they need.

Chapter 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 Acknowledgements
Chapter 4 Prologue
Chapter 5
Chapter 1 - The Problem
Chapter 6
Chapter 1 - The Neglect of Children and Adolescents in the United States
Chapter 7
Chapter 2 - Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbirth Trends
Chapter 8
Chapter 3 - The Denigration of Parenthood
Chapter 9
Chapter 4 - Divergent Parenthood Styles
Chapter 10
Chapter 5 - Dysfunctional Social Policies and Services
Chapter 11
Chapter 2 - Theoretical Foundation
Chapter 12
Chapter 6 - Chaos/Complexity Theory
Chapter 13
Chapter 7 - The Rights of Babies and Adolescents
Chapter 14
Chapter 8 - The Rights of Parents
Chapter 15
Chapter 3 - The Human Developmental Process
Chapter 16
Chapter 9 - Developing Human Relationships: Attachment Bonding
Chapter 17
Chapter 10 - Adolescent Development
Chapter 18
Chapter 11 - Emerging Adulthood
Chapter 19
Chapter 12 - Parenthood as a Developmental Stage in Life
Chapter 20
Chapter 4 - The Dynamics of Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 21
Chapter 13 - Choosing to Be An Adolescent Parent
Chapter 22
Chapter 14 - Profiles of Adolescent Parents
Chapter 23
Chapter 15 - The Impact of Parenthood on Adolescents
Chapter 24
Chapter 16 - The Impact of Adolescent Parenthood on Children
Chapter 25
Chapter 5 - Families
Chapter 26
Chapter 17 - The Families of Adolescent Parents
Chapter 27
Chapter 18 - The Impact of Adolescent Parenthood on Families
Chapter 28
Chapter 6 - Neighborhoods and Communities
Chapter 29
Chapter 19 - Social Class and Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 30
Chapter 20 - Peer Influences on Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 31
Chapter 21 - Gang Influences on Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 32
Chapter 7 - Culture
Chapter 33
Chapter 22 - Cultural Influences on Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 34
Chapter 23 - Black Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 35
Chapter 24 - Latino Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 36
Chapter 25 - American Indian Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 37
Chapter 26 - Muslim Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 38
Chapter 27 - Hmong Adolescent Parenthood
Chapter 39
Chapter 8 - Society
Chapter 40
Chapter 28 - Impact of Adolescent Parenthood on Society
Chapter 41
Chapter 29 - Programs for Adolescent Parents
Chapter 42 Dampening and Amplifying Trends
Chapter 43
Chapter 9 - Solutions
Chapter 44
Chapter 31 - Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenthood
Chapter 45
Chapter 32 - Valuing Parenthood
Chapter 46
Chapter 33 - Parenthood Planning Teams and Certification of Parenthood
Chapter 47
Chapter 34 - Adoption
Chapter 48
Chapter 10 - Conclusion
Chapter 49 Book Notes