Web Dropin #1:
A Reading Guide
by
Lauren Day-Lewis
SLM 521
Fall 2004
Introduction: Reading guides consist of activities
and questions for students to complete as they read a text. Because
students use the guides as they read the text, reading guides help many students
to comprehend what they are reading. Below is three-level reading guide
that students should read over before they read the article "The Juvenile
Court at 100 Years: A Look Back". The first level of the asks students
to recall specific information found the text and the next two levels require
the student to do some critical thinking. After students read the article
they should complete the reading guide assignment.
Directions: To view the article for this assignment,
click on this site:
http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jjjournal1299/2.html
Then, complete the reading guide. When you have finished, please
break off into small groups and discuss your answers.
I.
What did the author say? Please place a check next to the statement(s)
that were presented in the article you just read.
1. ___ In
the 19th Century, children were tried in adult courts and punished as adults.
2. ___ Refomatories
were created to reform youth offenders.
3. ___ The
Illinois Juvenile Court Act required that juveniles be separated from adults
when placed in the same institutions.
4. ___ During
the 1960s, the Supreme Court addressed the fairness of the juvenile court
process.
5. ___
The Juvenile Justice Act of 1974 focused on reforming the juvenile justice
system.
II. What does
the author mean? Place a check next to the statement(s) represent what
the author was trying to say.
1.
___ Youth offenders were often treated unfairly in the 19th Century.
2.
___ Children convicted of a crime could not understand why they were being
punished.
3.
___ Many juvenile delinquents were denied their due process rights before
the 1960s.
4.
___ Although the juvenile justice system has evolved over time, it is still
not completely flawless.
III. What do
you think? Place a check next to the statements you agree with.
1.
___ Juvenile offenders should be placed in adult correctional facilities.
2.
___ Children and adults should not be held responsible for their actions.
3.
___ If I am charged with a crime, it is important for a lawyer to protect
my rights in court.
The article, “The Juvenile Court at 100 Years: A Look Back” by Robert E.
Shepherd, discusses the creation and evolution of the juvenile justice system
in America. It also discusses some of the major problems of the system
and some important juvenile cases in American history. Before students
read the article, they should survey the reading guide to get an idea of
the article’s main points. After reading the article, students should
complete the three-level reading guide. Once they have completed the
guide, students should break off into small groups and discuss the main points
of the article and their feelings concerning the juvenile justice system.
Students will especially be instructed to review their responses to the third
part of the reading guide.
This reading guide would appropriate for 11th and 12th grade students in
a Government or Criminal Justice class. At this level, students should
be familiar with the constitution and due process rights. Therefore,
they will be familiar with some of the facts in this article.
Shepherd, Robert E. “The Juvenile Court at 100 Years: A Look Back.”
Juvenile Justice.
6 (2) (1999). http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jjjournal1299/2html.