A year in the life of a juvenile court is chronicled in this book. It gives an inside look at the workings of the court and the people involved in it. The book starts out with a case of a young boy who is accused of murder. The case goes through the court system and we see how justice is dispensed in this instance.
The book then looks at other cases involving juveniles, ranging from drugs to assault. We see how these cases are dealt with by the court and what happens to the offenders afterwards.
The author provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the juvenile court system, which is eye-opening for anyone who is not familiar with it. This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in crime or criminology.
Every year, the Juvenile Court increasingly incarcerated children and advocated for harsher sentencing with less focus on rehabilitation. Edward Humes, author of No Matter How Loud I Shout, writes about his experiences as a counselor in juvenile justice system in Los Angeles and offers insights into its Many shortcomings.
The system, Humes argues, is failing the very people it was designed to protect: our children. Humes begins by providing a glimpse into his own background and how he became involved with delinquents. He talks about his work as a writing teacher in maximum-security juvenile prisons and how he used writing as a tool for self-reflection and change with his students. He then delves into the stories of some of his students, giving readers a look at their backgrounds and what led them to becoming involved in crime.
Humes argues that the root cause of most crime is poverty, and that the Juvenile Court system does little to address this issue. He paints a picture of a broken system that is more concerned with punishment than rehabilitation.
Humes provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the Juvenile Court system, and how it often fails to protect the very people it was designed to help. He argues that the system is in need of reform, and offers some suggestions on how this might be accomplished. This book is an important read for anyone interested in crime, criminology, or juvenile justice. It offers a look at the Juvenile Court system from the inside, and sheds light on its many failings.
Humes’s book highlights the inefficiencies and flaws of the United States Juvenile Court system by following the stories of seven kids in the mid-1990s. Carla James, John Sloan, Andre and Elias Elizando, Ronald Duncan, Geri Vance, and George Trevino are all cases Humes uses to display how laws can be illogical and damaging when pushed forward by those with their own interests at heart.
The book is set up in two parts, the first being a general overview of the American Juvenile Court System and how it has changed throughout history. Humes starts with a description of the first juvenile court case in 1899, which was established in Chicago.
This court was created as an attempt to save children that were seen as “incorrigible” or “uncontrollable”. The goal was to rehabilitate these children so they could be returned to their families and society. However, this did not always happen. In some cases, such as Carla James’, the system actually made things worse.
Carla James was a 15-year-old girl who was put into the juvenile justice system for stealing a car. She had a difficult childhood, living in poverty and being raised by a mother who was addicted to drugs. Carla had been in and out of juvenile detention centers since she was 12 years old. The system did not provide her with the resources or support she needed to turn her life around. In fact, it often made things worse. For example, after being released from one detention center, Carla was placed in a group home that was run by a woman who sexually abused her.
Humes argues that the juvenile justice system is flawed because it does not take into account the individual needs of each child. He also argues that the system is biased against minorities and children from low-income families. He cites the case of John Sloan as an example. John Sloan was a 16-year-old African American boy who was arrested for stealing a car. He was sentenced to six months in a juvenile detention center, even though he had no prior criminal record and the stolen car was worth less than $200.
Humes argues that the juvenile justice system is ineffective because it does not rehabilitate children or provide them with the resources they need to turn their lives around. He also argues that the system is biased against minorities and children from low-income families. He cites the case of Geri Vance as an example.
Geri Vance was a 14-year-old white girl from a wealthy family who was arrested for shoplifting. She was placed on probation and ordered to perform community service. However, Geri’s family had the resources to hire a lawyer who was able to get her sentence reduced.
Humes concludes his book with a call for reform of the juvenile justice system. He argues that the system is flawed and needs to be changed in order to protect the rights of children.
Humes’s book demonstrates that the ineffectiveness of the court system can only be remedied when everyone involved has the same objective and is willing to set aside any outside distractions, such as race or personal connection. As someone who hopes to work with juveniles in the judicial system one day, I found No Matter How Loud I Shout enjoyable reading.
This book was an eye opener for me as I had no idea about the large number of cases that go through the court system or how difficult it is for judges, probation officers, public defenders, and prosecutors to handle these juveniles.I also did not know that there were so many different types of juvenile offenders from those who commit serious felonies to those who only commit misdemeanors. Overall, I think that this book was very informative and gave me a better understanding of the juvenile justice system.