Summary

Section 4 is “Justice,” and the opening chapter is “Binary.” This is a poem about the “two kinds of people in the world” (214), with lists that include male and female. The next chapter is “Cruel and Unusual?” Richard's attorney asked the court to send Richard's case back to the juvenile system. The California Supreme Court had sent cases back to the juvenile system in other cases, citing the possible adult punishments in those cases as being “cruel and unusual” (216) punishment for juveniles. Those cases had involved possible punishments of death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Those possible punishments did not apply to Richard's case and the judge refused the motion.

The next chapter is “Back at Juvie.” Richard had been at the juvenile detention center after his previous arrest, and the staff noted that...