No Matter How Loud I Shout:No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year In The Life Of Juvenile CourtA Year In The Life Of Juvenile Court

Edward HumesEdward Humes

Review by Jewel SchellenbergReview by Jewel Schellenberg

A year in the life…A year in the life…

Humes describes the state of the juvenile Humes describes the state of the juvenile justice system through his observations of justice system through his observations of incarcerated youth, judges, district incarcerated youth, judges, district attorneys, public defenders, parents, and attorneys, public defenders, parents, and probation officers over a year in Los probation officers over a year in Los Angeles County, CA.Angeles County, CA.

Each individual thrown into the juvenile Each individual thrown into the juvenile justice system by way of offense or justice system by way of offense or vocation has a different experience; vocation has a different experience; however, all agree on one thing…however, all agree on one thing…

It doesn’t work, and I must agreeIt doesn’t work, and I must agree

You will learn from the individual stories in this You will learn from the individual stories in this book that the juvenile justice system is far from book that the juvenile justice system is far from fair, a youth’s future is essentially determined by:fair, a youth’s future is essentially determined by: AgeAge What is the least expensive?What is the least expensive? How busy the courtroom is on any particular day, andHow busy the courtroom is on any particular day, and The level of concern of the Judge, parents, district The level of concern of the Judge, parents, district

attorney, and public defenderattorney, and public defender No consideration is given to the youth – their past, family No consideration is given to the youth – their past, family

life, are they a product of the system, have they taken life, are they a product of the system, have they taken positive steps toward a crime-free life while incarcerated?positive steps toward a crime-free life while incarcerated?

NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE, and if they do, they feel NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE, and if they do, they feel helpless.helpless.

Has our educational system failed?Has our educational system failed?

One of the biggest predictors of juvenile One of the biggest predictors of juvenile delinquency is a failed educational experiencedelinquency is a failed educational experience

Judge Dorn in Los Angeles County believes the Judge Dorn in Los Angeles County believes the answer to juvenile delinquency is to “yank kids off answer to juvenile delinquency is to “yank kids off the streets and force them to go back into the streets and force them to go back into school…go to school or go to jail is the alternative school…go to school or go to jail is the alternative he offers” (Humes, 1996, p. 82).he offers” (Humes, 1996, p. 82).

How do we educate youth once incarcerated?How do we educate youth once incarcerated? Especially as “an estimated 70% of the juvenile Especially as “an estimated 70% of the juvenile

justice population suffer from learning disabilities justice population suffer from learning disabilities and 33% read below the 4and 33% read below the 4thth grade reading level” grade reading level” (Wald et al., 2003, p.11).(Wald et al., 2003, p.11).

The court should be a tool for prevention…The court should be a tool for prevention…Meet Judge DornMeet Judge Dorn

Judge Dorn started his own prevention plan in Los Angeles Judge Dorn started his own prevention plan in Los Angeles County by reaching out to the community, telling parents, bring County by reaching out to the community, telling parents, bring in your kids who are disobeying, running away, and skipping in your kids who are disobeying, running away, and skipping school school (so-called “status offenses”), he’ll meet with them, essentially a (so-called “status offenses”), he’ll meet with them, essentially a scare tactic to prevent future delinquent behaviorscare tactic to prevent future delinquent behavior

How did district attorneys and public defenders respond?How did district attorneys and public defenders respond? They felt Judge Dorn was wasting valuable court time which should They felt Judge Dorn was wasting valuable court time which should

be devoted to current offenders and began “papering” him by be devoted to current offenders and began “papering” him by requesting other judges and continuances, which only served to requesting other judges and continuances, which only served to waste more time and prolong many incarcerated youth’s stays in waste more time and prolong many incarcerated youth’s stays in juvenile halljuvenile hall

Desperate parents came from all over the county to see Judge Desperate parents came from all over the county to see Judge Dorn and “teachers in some of LA’s toughest schools swore Dorn and “teachers in some of LA’s toughest schools swore Judge Dorn’s kids did better than any other problem student” Judge Dorn’s kids did better than any other problem student” (Humes, 1996, p. 81).(Humes, 1996, p. 81).

Judge Dorn explains his motivation…Judge Dorn explains his motivation…

““Virtually every adult with a criminal Virtually every adult with a criminal record, virtually every inmate in state record, virtually every inmate in state prison, virtually every murderer on prison, virtually every murderer on death row, started their criminal career death row, started their criminal career in the Juvenile Court. Whatever was in the Juvenile Court. Whatever was done with them at that time…way back done with them at that time…way back when they were in Juvenile Court, when they were in Juvenile Court, obviously didn’t work. Why? Because obviously didn’t work. Why? Because our priorities are backwards” (Humes, our priorities are backwards” (Humes, 1996, p. 129).1996, p. 129).

Cost Cutting our Youth?Cost Cutting our Youth?(Talk about backwards priorities)(Talk about backwards priorities)

The budget of the juvenile justice system is The budget of the juvenile justice system is constantly being cut – the programs that prevent constantly being cut – the programs that prevent are dyingare dying

Consider the probation department in Los Consider the probation department in Los Angeles County which experienced an enormous Angeles County which experienced an enormous budget cut: budget cut:

$67 million$67 million The department then had to cut intervention camp The department then had to cut intervention camp

sentences, some from 8 months to 12 weekssentences, some from 8 months to 12 weeks Another great program which places probation officers in Another great program which places probation officers in

elementary and middle schools before they join street elementary and middle schools before they join street gangs has been cutgangs has been cut

If not prevented...If not prevented...

Incarcerated youth are more likely to Incarcerated youth are more likely to commit another crime, often more violent, commit another crime, often more violent, shortly after their release…shortly after their release…

““Considerable evidence suggests that Considerable evidence suggests that the detention of juvenile offenders in the detention of juvenile offenders in programs characterized by high exposure programs characterized by high exposure to deviant peers and minimal adult to deviant peers and minimal adult interaction fails to reduce, and in some interaction fails to reduce, and in some cases may exacerbate, rates of recidivism” cases may exacerbate, rates of recidivism” (Gifford-Smith et al., 2005, p. 262)(Gifford-Smith et al., 2005, p. 262)

How we can learn from the mistakes of How we can learn from the mistakes of the juvenile justice system?the juvenile justice system?

Although change is difficult, perhaps we should be Although change is difficult, perhaps we should be more open to intervention and prevention programs more open to intervention and prevention programs such RTI and Positive Behavioral Support plans. We such RTI and Positive Behavioral Support plans. We may not see results right away, but in the long run, it may not see results right away, but in the long run, it will be worth it.will be worth it.

Funding is lacking everywhere. Take NCLB – the Funding is lacking everywhere. Take NCLB – the federal government seems to be asking for miracles, federal government seems to be asking for miracles, but not providing the resources, should schools teach but not providing the resources, should schools teach the tests to achieve AYP? What about those students the tests to achieve AYP? What about those students who get left behind, where will they end up?who get left behind, where will they end up?

As educators, we should encourage our counterparts As educators, we should encourage our counterparts to be aware of behavior problems, and the possible to be aware of behavior problems, and the possible underlying causes. Intervene, ask for help, we can underlying causes. Intervene, ask for help, we can prevent juvenile delinquency before it starts.prevent juvenile delinquency before it starts.

One final quote…One final quote…

This “is the heartbreak of Juvenile This “is the heartbreak of Juvenile Court, the wonder of it, and the Court, the wonder of it, and the scandal. Heartbreak, because every scandal. Heartbreak, because every kid cannot be saved. Wonder, that kid cannot be saved. Wonder, that this broken, battered, outgunned this broken, battered, outgunned system saves even one child. system saves even one child. Scandal, because it so seldom tries Scandal, because it so seldom tries to do anything at all” (Humes, 1996, to do anything at all” (Humes, 1996, p. 371).p. 371).

Works CitedWorks Cited

Gifford-Smith, M., Dodge, K.A., Dishion, T.J., & McCord, J. Gifford-Smith, M., Dodge, K.A., Dishion, T.J., & McCord, J. (2005). Peer influence in children and adolescents: (2005). Peer influence in children and adolescents: Crossing the bridge from developmental to intervention Crossing the bridge from developmental to intervention science. science. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(3), (3), 255-265.255-265.

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

Wald, J., & Losen, D. F. (2003). Defining a redirecting a Wald, J., & Losen, D. F. (2003). Defining a redirecting a school-to-prison pipeline. school-to-prison pipeline. New Directions for Youth New Directions for Youth Development, 99Development, 99, 9-15., 9-15.