No Matter How No Matter How

LOUDLOUDI ShoutI Shout

A Year In The Life Of Juvenile A Year In The Life Of Juvenile CourtCourt

By Edward HumesBy Edward Humes

Standrick J. RhodesStandrick J. RhodesSPED 561 - Dr. Witzel SPED 561 - Dr. Witzel

SummarSummaryy

Edward Humes brings forth a Edward Humes brings forth a harsh reality. The reality of the harsh reality. The reality of the world as we know it, infused world as we know it, infused with “every-day children” with “every-day children” frighteningly in the juvenile frighteningly in the juvenile justice system. He helps justice system. He helps readers realize that though the readers realize that though the criminal justice system is criminal justice system is presented as an outlet to help presented as an outlet to help keep our world safe, his keep our world safe, his findings prove otherwise.findings prove otherwise.

Summary Continued…Summary Continued…

Through his work as a Through his work as a volunteer teacher with the volunteer teacher with the juvenile justice system in Los juvenile justice system in Los Angeles, he provides a snippet Angeles, he provides a snippet of the lives of several children of the lives of several children and their journey through this and their journey through this system; portions of their lives system; portions of their lives that our nation’s citizens would that our nation’s citizens would not normally get to view.not normally get to view.

Summary Continued…Summary Continued…

Humes spends time visiting and Humes spends time visiting and interviewing probation officers, interviewing probation officers, lawyers, and court judges. lawyers, and court judges.

He provides an outlet through He provides an outlet through writing for his students (the writing for his students (the children this book is based on) children this book is based on) to share and to reflect on the to share and to reflect on the personal life stories.personal life stories.

Summary Continued…Summary Continued…

Humes invites us in to view the Humes invites us in to view the lives of a all-star student that kills, lives of a all-star student that kills, a small child and a transvestite a small child and a transvestite that brutally sexually molest a child that brutally sexually molest a child with autism, and numerous gang-with autism, and numerous gang-involved children, and shows the involved children, and shows the reader how the juvenile justice reader how the juvenile justice system affects these children’s system affects these children’s lives and the lives of those lives and the lives of those involved, and how it sometimes involved, and how it sometimes adds to their problems instead of adds to their problems instead of helping them.helping them.

UpsettingUpsetting

This book displays This book displays THE WORLD’S POSSIBLE FUTURETHE WORLD’S POSSIBLE FUTURE……We have to put an end to this! The entire book, We have to put an end to this! The entire book, Humes took me to another place. I always here about Humes took me to another place. I always here about this kind of behavior, but never anywhere near me this kind of behavior, but never anywhere near me (that I am aware of). Humes seemed to use the words (that I am aware of). Humes seemed to use the words and personal feelings of the CHILDREN to dig deep into and personal feelings of the CHILDREN to dig deep into my heart. As a society, we are always discussing my heart. As a society, we are always discussing intervention, prevention, and so forth, but this helped intervention, prevention, and so forth, but this helped me get past the “talk is cheap” factor, and helped me me get past the “talk is cheap” factor, and helped me realize we have a long way to go. Humes also had a realize we have a long way to go. Humes also had a great way of making the reader understand what he great way of making the reader understand what he was feeling without ever expressing feeling. This was feeling without ever expressing feeling. This made it personal for me because he did not attempt to made it personal for me because he did not attempt to shape my thoughts. It was heart-breaking to read shape my thoughts. It was heart-breaking to read about how our youth are treated by our nation’s noble about how our youth are treated by our nation’s noble form of justice.form of justice.

Taking it Taking it PersonalPersonal

Taking It Taking It PersonalPersonal Insightful/ InformativeInsightful/ Informative

This book really shows how not only the children This book really shows how not only the children are affected by the juvenile justice system, but are affected by the juvenile justice system, but how it scares parents and frustrates lawyers and how it scares parents and frustrates lawyers and judges in decisions that must be made. Humes judges in decisions that must be made. Humes also shows that just by doing a little to build a also shows that just by doing a little to build a rapport and gain the trust of these children, one rapport and gain the trust of these children, one can have an insightful view of what goes on in can have an insightful view of what goes on in these students’ heads on a day-to-day basis. This these students’ heads on a day-to-day basis. This is extremely important for educators. Humes built is extremely important for educators. Humes built an entire literary empire through his findings as an entire literary empire through his findings as expressed by the children, as well as their written expressed by the children, as well as their written submissions he displayed in the book.submissions he displayed in the book.

Taking It Taking It PersonalPersonal RevelationRevelation

We must begin to take a deeper interest in We must begin to take a deeper interest in the lives of our children and not treat their the lives of our children and not treat their lives as “part of our jobs”. Though many are lives as “part of our jobs”. Though many are educators, lawyers, probation officers, or educators, lawyers, probation officers, or judges, each new case (or child) should be judges, each new case (or child) should be viewed as such and handled with the utmost viewed as such and handled with the utmost care as if it were the first case ever care as if it were the first case ever presented to you.presented to you.

Taking It PersonalTaking It Personal HarshnessHarshness

Many times, society is overly concerned Many times, society is overly concerned with the fear of children in the juvenile with the fear of children in the juvenile justice system and sometimes overlooks justice system and sometimes overlooks crimes committed against them because crimes committed against them because of lack of knowledge of what really goes of lack of knowledge of what really goes on behind the doors of a courtroom. We on behind the doors of a courtroom. We need to begin devising plans to help need to begin devising plans to help these children instead of putting them these children instead of putting them away.away.

Connection to Connection to EducationEducation

To help devise a plan that will help children with possible risks of getting involved with the juvenile justice system, cross training needs to occur among all professionals in schools, police departments, victim assistance agencies, and in the courtroom as a way to start opening the lines of communication between these systems (Simpson, Carter, & William 1993). This service can be a direct demonstration of how successful a child will be in school, how they will contribute to society, and, in case they do become involved in the juvenile/criminal justice system how they will react.

Connection to EducationConnection to Education

A great form of prevention and early intervention of criminal offenses committed by students is the positive behavior support. I feel that the implementation of this idea at the early ages can be effective for future years to prevent children from becoming involved in the system. Because of this thought, there should be a move to place this public school plan into the judicial system. “Instead of relying on punishment and school exclusion to control problem behavior there is a great desire to move beyond a focus on punishment and “get tough” policies for youthful offenders, and intervention based solely on punishment is known to be ineffective…(Nelson, Sugai, & Smith, 2005).

ReferencesReferences

Humes, E. (1996). Humes, E. (1996). No matter how loud I shout: A year in No matter how loud I shout: A year in the life of juvenile court.the life of juvenile court. New York: Touchstone. New York: Touchstone.  

Simpson, R. L., Carter Jr., W.J. (1993). Comprehensive, Simpson, R. L., Carter Jr., W.J. (1993). Comprehensive, inexpensive, and convenient services for parents and inexpensive, and convenient services for parents and families of students with behavioral disorders. families of students with behavioral disorders. Preventing School Failure, 37Preventing School Failure, 37(2), 21-25.(2), 21-25.

Nelson, C. M., Sugai, G., & Smith, C. R. (2005). Positive Nelson, C. M., Sugai, G., & Smith, C. R. (2005). Positive behavior support offered in juvenile corrections. behavior support offered in juvenile corrections. Counterpoint, Counterpoint, 1, 6-7.1, 6-7.