Projects and Institution Building: Judge Ben B. Lindsey and the Juvenile Court Movement

Extending the microfoundations of the neoinstitutionalist approach to change, this paper examines the role of institutional entrepreneurs in creating the juvenile court at the turn of the century. Previous work suggests that the court established by Chicago activists became the prototype for other cities and states. We argue that the juvenile court's founding period exhibited considerable diversity, and we highlight Judge Ben B. Lindsey's institution building efforts in Denver, Colorado. Lindsey's project is contrasted to the Chicago court; particular attention is given to Lindsey's constitution of the delinquent subject, his call for a highly differentiated juvenile court, and his expansive conception of the court's responsibilities. This initial diversity subsequently gave way to a more uniform court, and we briefly discuss the dynamics fueling this convergence.