The author, having regard his own experience and achievements of 30 years period, made some sort of review of the concept of social maladjustment of children and adolescents. He takes into account three aspects: theoretical, practical and diagnostic. The issue of risky, aggressive and deviant behavior is placed in the context of correctional pedagogy that dates from the seventies to the present day. Moreover, he takes into account the development of other concepts such as social pathology, social derailment, and the methodology used in social sciences, working with rehabilitation in the field of theoretical and practical problems of social prevention and rehabilitation, inclusive education and social work.