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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Elias was sent to CYA but disobeyed orders so that he would be sent to jail and would be able to kill whom, according to the author in Part 2, Chapter 11?

2. What was the nickname of Sherry Gold’s client that had been caught as a getaway driver in a drive-by shooting in Part 3, Chapter 15?

3. By what name was the accused called who was involved in the gang shooting of Sharon Stegall’s parolee in Part 2, Chapter 11?

4. In Part 3, Chapter 14, the DA went after what judge (aside from Judge Dorn)?

5. According to the narrator in Part 2, Chapter 10, Sister Janet prodded Geri Vance’s attorney to get him a reduced sentence. The attorney succeeded with a bargain that earned him what maximum sentence?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Peggy Beckstrand feel about Jason’s witness testimony in Part 3, Chapter 13?

2. How does the author describe Shy Boy’s circumstances in Part 3, Chapter 15?

3. What program helped to rehabilitate Andre, according to the author in Part 2, Chapter 9?

4. How does the author describe Sherry Gold when introducing her in Part 3, Chapter 15?

5. How does the author describe the work of Peggy Beckstrand, Sharon Stegall, and Sherry Gold in Part 4, Chapter 18?

6. How much time has passed at the beginning of Part 4, Chapter 18? How does the author describe Judge Dorn’s courtroom at this time?

7. How does the author describe the “funnel” of the juvenile justice system in Part 3, Chapter 16? What statistics does he provide?

8. What outcome does the author describe for Elias Elizondo, Geri Vance, and John Sloan in Part 4, Chapter 18?

9. What conclusions did Carla James express of the juvenile justice system to the author in Part 4, Chapter 18?

10. What was the outcome in the case of Hugh, described by the author in Part 3, Chapter 15?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the time period that the book covers. What politicians were in office at this time? What were public feelings about the juvenile justice system in the United States? How has the juvenile justice system changed from the time in which the book was written to today?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author’s profile of Richard Perez in the Prologue. How old was Perez when he was apprehended? How does the author say the system failed Perez? How was Perez’s trial affected by the earlier Gault decision?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the history of “status offenses” in the United States. What are status offenses that exist today? How are status offenses dealt with in criminal law? Do you agree with the author’s implication that having status offenses helped to keep potential criminals off the streets? What are the pros and cons of this system?

(see the answer keys)

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