Guilty?: Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face of Justice

by Teri Kanefield

Overview

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

"Kanefield not only allows readers to understand how notions of right and wrong change over time and across cultures, helping them begin to understand the complexities of crime and punishment, but she will probably leave them eager to find out more." --Horn Book Magazine

"This short book is dense with examples and ideas and makes a complicated, somewhat daunting subject more accessible and interesting to a younger audience." --Booklist

"An easy and informative read, gives basic information about the criminal justice system." --VOYA

"This book takes a look at the evolution of the American justice system. Kanefield scrutinizes the judicial system by examining current and past crimes." --School Library Journal

"By following the law school model and exploring actual cases, readers are able to ponder abstract ideas via concrete examples." --Kirkus Reviews

"An extraordinary book...that could well be mind-blowing to the thoughtful young reader who is ready to move beyond the black-and-white notion that a particular act is wrong simply because it is illegal." --Richie Partington, Book Blogger

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780998425726
Publisher:	Armon Books
Publication date:	04/22/2019
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.36(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Teri Kanefield, an appellate lawyer and children's book writer, is the author of Rivka's Way and The Girl from the Tar Paper School. Her articles and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Cricket Magazine, The Iowa Review, Education Week, and The American Literary Review.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part I Deciding What Behavior to Criminalize 1

Chapter 1 Crimes of Opportunity: Theft-or Good Luck? 3

Chapter 2 Another Kind of Bank Robbery 13

Chapter 3 Chearing? or Lucking into a Good Deal? 18

Chapter 4 Race: Changing Attitudes and Laws 25

Chapter 5 Deciding What Is a Danger to Society 41

Chapter 6 Killing Is a Crime, Except When It Isn't 47

Part II Punishment 57

Chapter 7 Retribution-"An Eye for an Eye" 61

Chapter 8 Deterrence, or a Warning to All 71

Chapter 9 The Conveyor Belt of Justice 84

Part III Due Process and the Presumption of Innocence 89

Chapter 10 Dolly Mapp and Unreasonable Searches 93

Chapter 11 The Right to Counsel 99

Chapter 12 Conveyor Belts and Obstacle Courses 106

Conclusion: Thinking Like a Lawyer 109

Glossary of Legal Terms 113

For Further Reading 117

Acknowledgments 118

Photo Credits 119

Notes 120

Bibliography 123

Index 131

Editorial Reviews

"Kanefield not only allows readers to understand how notions of right and wrong change over time and across cultures, helping them begin to understand the complexities of crime and punishment, but she will probably leave them eager to find out more."

—Horn Book Magazine

"This short book is dense with examples and ideas and makes a complicated, somewhat daunting subject more accessible and interesting to a younger audience."
—Booklist

"An easy and informative read, gives basic information about the criminal justice system, and will appeal to those interested in the topic."
—VOYA

From the Publisher

08/01/2014
Gr 5–8—This book takes a look at the evolution of the American justice system. Kanefield scrutinizes the judicial system by examining current and past crimes. The book opens by defining the word "criminalize" (as "an act that the law makes punishable") and goes on to argue that the American judicial system is flawed. The author offers both famous cases, such as Plessy v. Ferguson and more obscure ones, such as the example of a man accused of bank robbery for taking advantage of a teller's mistake and walking out of the bank with an extra $1,000. The writing is brisk and concise, getting right to the point, but there are few images or charts, which might turn off some younger readers who are used to heavily illustrated books. Though this title provides a solid example of how authors present and build arguments, students would be better served by learning to scrutinize the book for bias, as Kanefield only shows one side of the story, highlighting the flaws of the system without offering any constructive criticism for how to improve the situation.—Esther Keller, I.S. 278, Brooklyn, NY

School Library Journal

2014-09-14
Case studies form the nucleus of this introduction to the ever changing nature of crime and punishment in the United States. This slim volume seeks to introduce young readers to the various complexities of crime and punishment. An important aspect of these ideas is how society's views have changed over the years. By following the law school model and exploring actual cases, readers are able to ponder abstract ideas via concrete examples. One of the first cases involves a 12-year-old who knowingly purchased a valuable baseball card at much less than its market value. Was this theft or merely taking advantage of a clerk's error? Many of the examples are more consequential and show the far-reaching nature of criminal law. There are cases involving race, mental competence, the banking system, terrorism and more. This wide range is both a strength and weakness: Readers can get a sense of the law's pervasiveness, but it also means that each subject receives limited coverage. The author is clear that this book is designed to raise questions and encourage readers to delve further. The format does not add much to aid in engagement: Occasional photographs and sidebars do little to relieve the text. There is a helpful glossary, suggestions for further reading, source notes and a comprehensive bibliography. Given the paucity of books on the law for young readers, this fills a niche, but here's hoping a more engaging and vibrant replacement comes along soon. (photo credits, index not seen) (Nonfiction. 10-16)

Kirkus Reviews