The Delinquent Child and the Home was one of Breckinridge’s first books. It was published in 1912 and looks specifically at crime, consequences, and criminal records of children in Chicago. There are eleven chapters that explain the study and expected outcomes of children that live in different settings in the city. Some notable chapters include the first chapter, Discretion of the Inquiry. This chapter talks about children who have been charged with crimes, how the family unit has an impact on this, and how the court needs to make adjustments in its system when working with juveniles.

The Child of the Immigrant: The Problem of Adjustment looks at the impact of children growing up in ethnic enclaves in Chicago in the early 1900’s. Sophinsiba alludes to examples of young people adjusting to life in the United States or how they are understanding what it means to live in America while living a different kind of life in the home that ties back to their own roots or their parents cultures. The Poor Child: The Problem of Poverty talks about how poverty often is the reason for juvenile delinquency. Breckinridge says it is usually because they are engaging in activities in order to survive, help their families, or do not have a school to go to that may help in lessening delinquent activity. The Child Without Play: The Problem of Neighborhood, specifically refers to the West side of Chicago in the early 1900’s and explains how dense neighborhoods are often where the most crime occurs among children because of the lack of parks and space for children to roam freely. In The Child from the Comfortable Home: The Problem of the Unmanageable, Breckinridge speaks in the final parts of her book about how there could be underlying problems from growing up. Though most of these children are from good homes and live under authority, sometimes they are sent to boarding schools where they might be better disciplined. Breckinridge points out the opposing classes in this chapter by explaining how children from families of higher social status are put in a boarding school while children from families of lower social classes usually face court or put in a state mandated institution.