93 pages • 3 hours read
Do you believe that the juvenile-justice system is broken? If so, what is its greatest flaw, and how might this flaw be addressed? If not, what do you think is the system’s greatest asset? Explain your answer using evidence from the text.
The four parts begin with epigraphs—poems or court opinions which preface the book’s sections. How do these epigraphs relate to and/or inform their respective sections? Do they relate to and/or inform each other? Justify your answer.
Of the various adults in the story—from the probation officers to the defense attorneys to the judges and prosecutors—who do you find to be the most relatable? Who do you find to be the least relatable? Explain your answer using evidence from the text.
Do you believe that law and morality are different, or are they inherently the same thing? Is there a line you can draw between these two ideas? Explain your answer using evidence from the text and/or your own personal experiences.
Of the juveniles addressed in the book, whose story do you find the most compelling? Whose story do you find the most disturbing? Why?
How does your life compare to that of the various juvenile characters within the book? What are the similarities? What are the differences? Explain your answer using evidence from the text and/or your own personal experiences.
Do you find any flaws in Humes’s argument? Are there any aspects of his argument with which you do not agree, or analyses that seem to be missing? Explain.
Did reading this book alter your perception of the juvenile-justice system or the justice system as a whole? Why or why not?
Did reading this book alter your perception of the juvenile-justice system or the justice system as a whole? Why or why not?
Consider the overall tone of the book. How would you characterize the narrator?
Plus, gain access to 8,800+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features: