Juvenile Justice

1. Juvenile Justice Post-Reading

2. Thinking Critically Jigsaw In your group, answer the questions about the traditional rhetorical appeals that the authors use. Each person is responsible for recording the groups answers is their classwork.

3. Reading for Understanding • In your table groups you will be assigned a section of “Greg Ousley is Sorry for Killing His Parents,”. As you read silently, divide, label and annotate your section with at least 3 comments per page.

4. Summarizing and Responding • After reading, discuss the section with your table group. Next, on one sheet of paper for your whole table group, write a 3-4 sentence summary of your section. • Next, on that same sheet of paper, write down 3 questions that you would like to discuss with other students. These questions should be about significant issues that the article raises and should not have a right or wrong answer. An example is the question below: • Example: Can our knowledge about the development of the teenage brain help us understand why Greg Ousley killed his parents and why he behaved the way he did afterwards?

5. Summary Presentations • Your group needs to present the summary of their section to the class. • You need to take notes in the margins for the sections you have not read yet.

6. Fishbowl • Each student is responsible for participating in the fishbowl process. On the next slide you will see the discussion questions; look over the questions and decide which ones you want to discuss with your peers. You will be required to participate in at least two discussion topics. • Each student is responsible for adding at least three thoughtful pieces of commentary to the discussion. You may enter the discussion as many times as you wish, however every student needs to participate in at least two discussion topics. No hogging a topic! • Each student is responsible for taking notes on at least four of the discussion topics. Notes can include questions, ideas that you like or disagree with, something that you find interesting, etc. You must have at least four notes for each discussion topic. Bullet points are ok.

7. Fishbowl topics • Let’s play the what if game: What if Greg had a stronger relationship with his father? What if Greg’s parents had been more involved? What if he had reached out for help? What if his sisters never left? Do you think Greg’s teacher, Tony Phillips is somewhat responsible for the murders? • Despite Greg killing his parents, why do you think his family helped him while he was in prison? If his family decided to have another mediation session, do you think more people would come? Why or why not? If you were in Greg’s aunt’s position, would you have chosen to let Greg free? • Do you think Greg had psychological issues from birth, or do you think his environment was mostly to blame? When Greg committed the murder, do you think his actions were the actions of a developed brain? • Is Greg’s perspective on his parents justifiable? Are his parents somewhat to blame for the murder? Is the murder jusitfiable? • Do you think Greg is a changed person today,? Do you think Greg could be successful in society? Why or why not? Do you think Greg’s remorse is genuine? • Do you think Greg’s sentencing was fair? Why or why not? Should Greg have been granted an early release? Why or why not? Do you think Greg should have been tried as a minor? Why?

8. Taking a Stance • Imagine that the four authors of the texts you have read are in a room together. Pretend you are one author, and respond to the following statements made by another author. As you compose the response, refer to the readings and make sure you can support your answer from the author’s text, but paraphrase the author’s position in your own words. Do not quote the author’s exact words.

9. Evaluating Thesis Statements Using the guidelines for developing effective thesis statements, evaluate Paul Thompson’s thesis statement from “Startling Finds”. Then evaluate the thesis statements taken from student essays on essay related to this topic. Label them on your handout “very effective,” “OK,” or “not effective,” and briefly explain each of your decisions.

10. Guidelines for Developing Thesis Statements • A thesis reflects the writer’s position on a question that has more than one side. After reading the thesis, the reader should be able to explain what the issue is and what side of the argument the writer is on. • Develop a thesis statement that makes the topic and your opinion or position on the topic clear to your reader. • Choose one side of the issue if your topic requires it, but you may qualify your position. • If the topic asks “to what extent” you agree or disagree with a statement, be sure to explain how strongly you agree or disagree. You may include a “because” statement, but you do not need to list all the reasons for your position. • Neither a factual statement nor a question make an effective thesis because they do not reflect the writer’s position on the issue.

11. Conclusions A conclusion should stress the importance of the thesis statement, give the essay a sense of completeness, and leave a final impression on the reader. Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to summarize your thoughts, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.

12. An effective conclusion has three parts: Rephrasing of your thesis • Don’t repeat your thesis word for word, instead rephrase it and give it new meaning. Summary of main ideas and points • Don't simply repeat things that were in your paper. They have read it. Show them how the points you made and the support and examples you used were not random, but fit together. Answering “so what”? • Give your reader something to think about, perhaps a way to use your paper in the "real" world.Show your readers why this paper was important. Show them that your paper was meaningful and useful.

13. Example Conclusion #1 The enabling of teenage curfews is among the most debated issues in the United States and in democratic Europe. The first and foremost task of teenage curfews is to ensure teenagers’ security. States which have enabled curfews (such as Dallas or New Orleans) report decreases in juvenile crime rates. However, curfew opponents claim that this preventive measure infringes on the rights and freedoms of young people; besides, arresting teenagers for curfew violations can propel them to see themselves as outlaws, which can cause them to commit more serious crimes in the future. For curfews to be the most effective, parents should avoid acting as an authoritarian; on the contrary, they should develop and discuss the curfew conditions together with their children in a diplomatic way.

14. Example Conclusion #2 Personal choice is a simple principle that is highly valued in American society. Banning smoking in all public restaurants violates this principle and jeopardizes our freedom. Smoking should not be banned in all restaurants. A ban on smoking imposes unnecessary governmental interference in private business, affects business owners negatively, and discriminates against smokers. Like the black Southerner turned away because of racial segregation, the smoker is unfairly treated. Sadly, just when our government claims to be whisking away the clouds of smoke, it is legislating a cloud of discrimination.

15. Example Conclusion #3 In recent years, the number of elephant killings due to poaching has decreased, largely due to the worldwide ban (since 1990) on the trade of ivory. However, the illegal trade continues, and as long as it does, poachers will be a part of it. The poaching problem is incredibly intricate. Fueled by the illicit trade to southeast Asia and the rest of the world, it is also the result of a lack of education and public services in African villages. It is evident that a single country cannot successfully combat poaching and the loss of elephant habitat. The world needs to unite like never before if we want to save our remaining elephants.

16. Writing Prompt On June 25, 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles who committed murder could not be sentenced to life in prison because it violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Elena Kagan, writing for the majority, stated that “Mandatory life without parole for a juvenile precludes consideration of his chronological age and its hallmark features—among them, immaturity, impetuosity, and failure to appreciate risks and consequences. It prevents taking into account the family and home environment that surrounds him— and from which he cannot usually extricate himself—no matter how brutal or dysfunctional.” However, four justices strongly disagreed, arguing that mandatory sentences reflected the will of American society that heinous crimes committed by juveniles should always be punished with a sentence to life in prison. Justice Alito noted that otherwise, “Even a 17 ½-year-old who sets off a bomb in a crowded mall or guns down a dozen students and teachers is a ‘child’ and must be given a chance to persuade a judge to permit his release into society…”

17. Classwork list • Quickwrite (3-4 sentences) • Exploring key concepts (2 questions) • Explaining the legal system (3-4 sentence summary of JJ vs adult system) • Surveying the text (2 questions) • Making predictions & asking questions (6 questions) • Reading for understanding (chart) • Summarizing & responding (3-4 sentence summary & response of Thompson & Lundstrom articles) • Reading for understanding (4 questions) • Analyzing stylistic choices (13 words) • Summarizing & responding (one paragraph each summary & response of Garinger article) • Should your juvenile be tried as an adult (3-5 sentences on 5 criteria) • Thinking critically questions (8 questions) • Fishbowl notes (16 bullet points) • Annotated article packet