Juvenile Justice Books

This is an exceptionally insightful book looking into the juvenile criminal justice system in L.A. It does a good job of illustrating the perspectives of all individuals involved, from "criminals" to "officials" and also shows gradients of right and wrong, and just how complicated and even faulty the system may be. It is very well written, and I highly recommend it.

A great introduction into the juvenile criminal justice system. I actually went to work for a public defenders' office because of this book.

A more recent book I'd highly reccommend is "Last Chance In Texas." Ironically, Texas has perhaps the most progressive juvenile justice system in the country. This book tells how Texas' worst juvenile offenders had their lives changed for the better.

This book is so SOOO depressing. And we deserve to feel that way about our Juvenile Justice system. Everyone remotely attached to criminal law or children should read this.

Written over the course of one year in LA's juvenile court system, this book is very enlightening to the plight of our kids in detention and on the streets. It has recently been reported that less than 10% of Florida's almost $709 million juvenile justice budget is spent on prevention. I hope to do my personal part to change this in my community, by supporting intervention programs for at-risk youth.

No Matter How Loud I Shout reads like a novel. It is an incredibly well written and compassionate view of the life of some of the country's forgotten "children". I really enjoyed it as well as "Baby ER" also by Mr. Humes.

IN THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN ABOVE BY AMAZON IT SAYS THIS BOOK IS FOR AGES 4 TO 8 BUT I HAVE READ THIS BOOK AND IT SHOULD READ FOR GRADES 4 TO 8 OR MAYBE GRADES 6 TO 12...I DONT KNOW HOW AMAZON DETERMINED THIS READING LEVEL, BUT ITS A GREAT READ FOR TEENS TO ADULTS!

Well I'm gonna have to give this book 2 thumbs up also. Its good, clean literary fiction.

Writer uses a lot of symbolism. Crafted nice. Kids need to read this book. Anti-drug use message.

I remember being in college and sharing some of these same feelings and similar events so I found it very believeable. The main character, Gary Barton, falls in love when he and a girl, Robin Calloway, both find a stray dog and care for it together. As the dog recovers and regains health the main character Gary also falls in love with Robin, written very smart as if the dog and the boy (Gary) are living parallel lives. Neither knew how bad off they were until they met the girl (Robin) Its a great romance story with a lot of good humor and emotional volcanos.

Wonderful and written with style, this young adult novel encourages teens to steer away from the darkside of drugs by showing them how easily a drug dealer can prey upon the innocent. I have purchased several copies upon the advise of a friend to give to other youth in our Church.

This is a fabulous story, magnificently-written, wonderful characters, and absolutely unforgettable. One of the best YA books I've ever read....and I've read a lot now. My daughter (13) also loved it.

I THINK THIS BOOK WAS INTERESTING . ONCE I READ IT I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP. EVERYTIME IT GOT TO A SUSPENSE PART I GOT SO EXCITIED. IF I WERE ALL YOU BOOK READER'S I WOULD SUGGEST YOU BUY IT AND READ IT!!!

I thought that the book was great because there was a lot of funny,sad,and exciting parts in the book that I really liked about Playing Solitaire. No one in my class wanted to put the book down because Ellie is a girl who doesn't have a mother and her father cut off some of her fingers.But the only people in her life is Dex,Joy,and grandpa that loved her.

I FELT HAPPY ABOUT THIS BOOK BECAUSE I LIKE THE PART
WHEN ELLIE WAS ABOUT TO SHOOT HER FATHER AT THE END
OF IT. AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY HER MOTHER
DIED AND HER FATHER CUT OFF HER FINGERS. AND SHE LIVES
WITH HER GRANDFATHER. AND SHE HAD A DOG NAMED BIRDIE.

I Felt Happy About This book because I Like the part when Ellie was About to shoot her father at the end and she didn't and it turned out a very good ending.

Unwound is an interesting premise, but the book itself has far too many holes in it to be enjoyable. My biggest problem with the story is the fact that the premise of the is simply too unrealistic. The thought that within 100 years or so that the human race would become so indifferent towards a living person that they would allow him to be carved up for parts against his/her will is just too far of a reach.

It is a terrifying prospect, to have your life taken from you while young, and one that has been previously addressed in stories such as Logan's Run. The difference is that Logan's Run was set in an indeterminant time, so far in the future that it was essentially an alien culture. If Unwound had been set 500 years in the future or perhaps in an alternate reality, the story might have worked better.

The book seems to try too hard to provoke thought about the right to choose/right to life debate. Also, there are several instances where you can see plot points and and complications coming from a mile away. Foreshadowing is one thing, but to be so ham-handed in technique is disappointg.

Just so that this isn't a totally negative review, I did enjoy the evolution of the two lead male characters, though again it was pretty obvious about where things were heading.

This book might be enjoyable to younger readers who can look past the short comings or who might be more startled by the "coming to get you" premise. But for older readers, adults, or those who enjoy a good Sci-Fi yarn, you are going to be disappointed.

Neal Shusterman's Unwind is a true contemporary American classic. It goes far beyond just simply story-telling. It is very similar to Animal Farm. It is so much deeper than its plot. It deserves to be ranked with Catcher in the Rye and The Diary of Anne Frank. It should be mandatory reading for all high school and college students. Neal Shusterman is absolutely the John Steinbeck of Young Adult Fiction.

After the Heartland war, a war between the pro-life and pro-choice armies of the United States, the Bill of Life is created. It states that a child cannot be aborted until they are between the ages of 13 and 18, when they can be "unwound" or have their body parts harvested for other uses. It isn't "killing" the Bill of Life says, but rather changing their form of life.

But three teens, Connor, Risa and Lev who all come from entirely different situations, battle to survive until they're 18.

This book was one of the most impacting books I've ever read. I am a huge reader and read probably two books week. But it took me a day to read this book.

It makes you think about life, and what life means, and what a soul is. Read this book and your thoughts about life will forever be altered. Five stars to Neal Shusterman.

This is a MUST READ.

This was a book I bought on a whim. It had an interesting premise so I thought "why not". That was almost a year ago and I still can't get this book out of my head. It is one of those stories that hit you in the gut just when you think that every topic has been written about. This was an entirely new idea wrought with intense emotion and survival from every character. There was no overlap in 2 dimensional character traits. Each character was fully developed, had a voice and you could feel their point of view. The book was so disturbing in a "Twilight Zone" sort of way. There was no sugar coating or breaks given to the characters. Their was no apology for the situation it just was. The reality of that sets an ambiance that you won't be able to get out of your head for some time. This is a book I would love to see my teenager having to read for an English class. It is wrought with discussion topic possibilities and could stimulate some intense discussion. I could type on all day about the wonders of this literary masterpiece. The emotion, the depth, the color, the pain and the creative world in which it was weaved is beyond description. You must read it regardless of the genre you like. I can't imagine anyone not being in awe.

Unwind is one of the best books I've read in a really long time. The characters are interesting and complex, even secondary characters are fully developed.

For everyone who has run into the brick wall of legalese and juvenile court, this book is a great guide. We passed it around to our youth group and juvenile justice committee. Lots to learn; good manual to have. Should be on the shelf of anyone who deals with kids.

From PBS TeacherSource review:
The author, an attorney specializing in juvenile law and youth advocate, has prepared a guide to the juvenile justice system. The book's three sections examine what is done by kids, what is done for and to kids, and the future of juvenile justice. An appendix covers Federal involvement in juvenile law. A glossary is included. This book would make a good resource for civics classrooms.

from Struggling Teens website review:

The book divides the law as it relates to consequences of a child's actions, criminal law, and into the legal consequences of actions of adults around him/her (Divorce, abandonment, abuse and kids being drawn into the system), the author systematically explains in easy to understand language the concepts and specifics of what the law is trying to do for the good of the child.

This book would be helpful for any person that might have any contact with the law as it relates to juveniles, and that includes just about everybody. It would be helpful as a first reference on any specific situation as to the general gist of how the law might apply.

In the book KIDS LAW, Attorney John W. Biggers combines years of experience and a passion for children to make a once difficult topic transform into an easy-to-understand, enjoyable read. Biggers explains everything from the crime to the arrest and from the trial to incarceration. Includes a comprehensive glossary of terms. I would recommend KIDS LAW to anyone who is hoping to navigate the complexity of the Juvenile Justice system. Intended for students and those who work with them, KIDS LAW makes an excellent addition to any school library, classroom, or in the home as a study resource. A teacher's manual is also available. Jackie Igafo-Te'o, Bridges4Kids.org

From The Critics /
Voice of Youth Advocates Review - Linda Roberts

Although minors are considered "persons" by law, the legal system has often denied them the basic rights automatically accorded to adults. Only recently has there been consistency in the way minors are treated by the courts. Biggers, a lawyer and youth advocate who has spent many years working in the juvenile justice system, wrote this book as a guide for adults and youth who want to understand more about the juvenile courts or who might be facing some involvement with the law. The book is divided into three major sections: what is done by youth, what's done for and to youth, and the future of adolescent law. In clear and easy-to-understand language, the concepts are explained by using a case study in which the characters interact with the juvenile justice system in different ways. Any new term is printed in bold typeface and is included in a glossary at the end of the book. New concepts are introduced by section headings. For anyone who wants to know more about the juvenile justice system, the book is interesting to read. It can also be used as a reference book, facilitated by the index. With the plethora of crime shows and legal thrillers shown on television and in the movies, teens will be familiar with many of the concepts and terms and might find this book interesting just to find out how they are specifically affected by the law. It should be included in any school or public library. The information is relevant and unique in its suitability for youth and adults.

Is nothing more compelling than the JSA?? I mean come on! This book is so sweet, I got diabetes from reading it!

I got to say I'm absoluetly loving Goyer on JSA. He really gets you to like the characters and he has seemed to master what is so great about the JSA they aren't about conflict like the JLA but, they are a family. And with that being said Goyer has managed to balance all the characters on the team and make you want to know more about each one. I reccomand this to anyone but, do yourself a favor and pick up the first two trades first.

A little unexpected, but he wasn't going to stay gone forever. It was handled quite well, and made Hawkman a more interesting character, who I started following. Thus, it certainly did what it set out to do, in that it made me want to read Hawkman again afer such a long time.

DC went crazy in the 1990s. Thinking that all their characters have become too archaic for the cutting-edged tastes of today's readers, they systematically set out to eliminate all their "old" characters and replace them with "new" characters. Thus we have all the big "events" of the 1990s - the "death" of Superman (to be replaced by FOUR Supermen - and finally the original returned with long hair), the "maiming" of Batman (to be replaced by a psychotic, badly-drawn Jean Paul Valley), the "defeat" of Wonder Woman and the "amputation" of Aquaman.

And there were the "events". Underworld Unleashed. Zero Hour. Final Night. Day of Judgment. Our Worlds At War. Joker's Last Laugh. etc. etc. Mega-crossovers that involve a million titles.

Here in this book, we have DC doing what DC should have been doing. Silver-Age storytelling with a modern sense of the epic. Goyer and Johns here stick to the "comic-characters-as-absurd-heroic-visions" view of past-writers like John Broome and Gardner Fox. There are no attempts here to force the characters to become unneccessarily "adult" ala' the pretentious Vertigo attempts. The characters here dress and talk like comic characters. And that's what they should always have been. And finally, no crossovers. The whole saga happened within ONE title - JSA.

Of course, as the title implies, Hawkman returns. And what an awe-inspiring scene that was. I still get that familiar tingle down my spine looking at that full-page blast of Carter Hall resurrected and proclaiming, "Arise, my once and future love!" And his return was just in time too. As the JSA then rush off to face Onimarr Synn.

Finally, there is that JSA meeting at the end of the story. Hawkman is back. And they do a little re-examination of what the JSA stands for - "Young Justice and the Titans, they look up to the Justice League. But the Justice League... they look up to US!" That's what the JSA is all about - LEGACY, what with being the original super-team in human history.

GET THIS BOOK! THEN GET THE HAWKMAN : ENDLESS FLIGHT TPB ALSO!

I have never been much of a JSA fan, or of any of the older character's like Alan Scott (formely known as Green Lantern, now known as Sentinel), Jay Garrick (the first Flash), or Sandy Hawkins (originally Sandy the Golden Boy, now Sand). Then I picked up this book just cause it had been written by David Goyer (who wrote the three "Blade" movies) and my whole perspective of the JSA changed forever. The story was excellent, the character's are incredible (especially the reformed Black Adam), and the artwork is amazing. This has to be one of my top 10 favorite comic stories (Marvel and DC put together) of all time, and I highly recommend this book to any comic lover.

Kelly pulls it off as usual. I was riveted from the start. The setup was actually in the last graphic novel but I just read that one a couple weeks ago. I don't really know that much about Green Lantern or J'ohn's origins so this gave some cool glimpses into what they're all about. Loved the conflicted heroes (especially Superman) who didn't want to kill their long time friend and ally and of course it was cool to see Plastic Man back, he's always loads of fun.

Probably one of my favorite story arcs in any JLA run. In the story the Martian Manhunter tries to deal with his psychlogical fear of fire. The art is pretty good and the story is told beautifully. No really bad point in it either.

"JLA: Trial By Fire", reprinting #s 84-89 of the JLA ongoing, is a true epic, rich in action, high stakes, emotion, concept, delivery and grandeur, all brought together so perfectly that a single flaw near the end - that would have sapped the impact of many tales - seems no more than a slight glitch. It's a story that both Justice League mainstays like Superman and Batman, and characters who haven't logged nearly as much time to date on the team's roster (such as Faith and Manitou Raven), get to shine in.

In the beginning, something strange is happening across the planet. The most ruthless of dictators, the most dangerous of super-villains, the most remorseless of killers....are changing. Suddenly overcome with guilt and intent on never again returning to their former ways. All this sounds good at first, but as things progress it's getting deeper as various characters are not only 'seeing the light' but are falling into catatonic states, being paralyzed, or being tormented in increasingly physical and vicious ways. The League senses that this is all a lead-up to something even bigger and darker. One of the successes of "Trial By Fire" is that, right from the get-go, it Feels like there's really major, really out-of-the-ordinary threat emerging, something that even the League may not be able to handle. Sometimes when a new storyline instantly introduces a brand new, 'different-than-anything-they've-faced-before' threat to a group like the Justice League, there's a bit of a lack of authenticity to it. You're watching as the new threat nearly makes mincemeat out of everythin in its path, but you don't really believe that this new menace could come out of the blue and just hammer away a team as powerful as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Firestorm, et al. "Trial By Fire" is the exact opposite of that. It feels plausible, frightening, and deadly.

Indeed, the initial wave of incidents is just the tip of the iceberg, and things go from bad to worse for the team. It's not wall-to-wall action from Page 1 onwards though. One of the things I love best about the writing of Joe Kelly is that when he's doing a series, all members of both the main and supporting cast have their own interesting things going on, and weaving very cohesively through the 'big' plots. With as big a cast as "JLA" has, not every character can play a lead role in every story arc. Here, characters like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Batman are among those taking center stage in the action, but some of the best points in the book focus on characters like Manitou Raven, Wonder Woman, and Major Disaster, who don't overall get as much page time here as they have in other JLA arcs but are essential nonetheless. The ongoing developments between Batman and Wonder Woman - which played an ongoing part in Kelly's run on the series - are done to perfection, and though I'd like to make observations on this aspect, I think it's best that I don't lest I give something away. There's an interesting dynamic between Faith and the Batman as well; although Faith is, at this point, a very new character in the DCU (although she obviously has more backstory than has been revealed) she's one of the least hesitant of the group to produce counter-arguements against the Dark Knight's position, and the often stubborn Bat is more open to her viewpoints than he is with most newcomers. There's good humor tucked away that one might miss if they're not careful, and there's an interesting angle about two characters who seem (and this isn't entirely clear but it sticks out as a possibility) to be developing a mutual attraction that neither one is in the least aware of.

As for the one flaw I mentioned earlier - it happens in the last issue, and while I'm not going to say what it is, it kind of reminded me of the finale to the 1978 Superman movie (uh, I guess I can't say what that is either, just in case anyone hasn't seen it). It's one of those moments where a seemingly imposible catastrophe is averted at the last moment and you just kind of feel like saying 'Oh come on! Even_________ isn't THAT powerful!' A lot of stories would have been crippled by it; this one isn't. (I'll admit I kind of adjusted the timeframe in my own head to make it at least a little bit more believable) It was the kind of moment where just because there's no conceivable way out, that doesn't stop anybody. It was quite out of sync with the rest of the story, and it's testament to how awesome "Trial By Fire" is as a whole that it recovered within mere pages, helped along by emotional impacts so powerful it makes one more than willing to forgive a lone inconsistency. Most of the time I'd bump a book down at least one star for that gaffe, but "JLA: Trial By Fire" was just so good that I can't. Judged as a whole, it's outstanding and gets an extremely high recommendation. 9.7/10

have I enjoyed a story this much about a superhero team fighting to take down a single globe threatening villain. I enjoyed it very much and I will seek out more stories by Joe Kelly. All the characters are tangibly pushed to the edge.

With the whole world going mad, the Justice League of America must move fast to find out what is going on. A rogue telepath is tinkering with the Earth, taking away people's freedom of thought, but who is it? This ordeal will drive the JLA into a battle with one of their own members, a battle they cannot win. But, Batman has an ace up his sleeve; there is one person who can do it...if he can just remember how.

Overall, I found this to be a very good graphic novel. The illustration work is very good (except for they way The Atom was drawn), and the story is absolutely gripping. I'm not sure I would have thought of the bad guy as quite as invincible as he is painted herein, but setting that aside, you do get to see very good graphic novel, fighting for their very existence. So, if you like a good, solid superhero story, then this is the book for you. My eleven-year-old son and I both enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to you.

That's right, you can forget what the editorial review says about this collection. Contrary to that writer's opinions (and let's keep in mind they are just opinions) many comic book readers, especially those of the 70's when these stories were originally published, don't want to be empathetic with the characters and do want them to be super all of the time. That writer obsiously did not grow up in this time period when people read comics because they were fun, not because the characters had emotional depth because they were fighting drug addictions, sexual confusion, or childhood abuse issues while trying to be superheroes. Also, there were a lot of readers then, just as now, who got sick of DC's big name characters like Superman and Batman. They were both featutred in so many titles you couldn't swing a stick in a drug store (there were no comic shops back then) and not hit one of their books. Lots of readers loved titles like the revived All Star Comics that gave us less popular heroes. This book did feature the Golden Age Superman in several issues and Batman, now Police Commissioner Bruce Wayne. These stories were not great but for the most part they were a good read. They also offer important insight into the transition between the original Golden Age Justice Society of America and the team we have today that bears that name. Don't buy this collection if you are expecting stories written just like today's comics but if you want some solid tales from the 70's you will like these.

As most of us I read some of these stories like 30 years ago, but now I discovered some others I couldn't read then, and these ones are wonderfully written. You will not find the nonsense reach-as-large-a-market-as-you-can, which cuts any soul from today's graphic novels, but these stories have emotion and consistency, of course only inside the province of fantasy and imagination. The stories are really good, and you will love them, if you had the good luck to know those wonderful characters at least before the unfortunate event known as the crisis on infinite earths.

The Justice Society has always been a favorit of mine and when All-Star was revived in the 70's I relished every issue. Although I enjoy this collection, I wish DC would have just published them as part of the All-Star Archives line, if only so that the books would look uniform on my bookcase.

I've always been a fan of the JLA and JSA.The 70's stories are the ones I like the best bacause the plots were written so you could read an entire storyline in 2-3 issues instead of today where it seems you have to wait for an entire storyto be published as graphic novels thanks dc for publishin these books

If you're a fan of DC's JSA, you owe it to yourself to read THE JUSTICE SOCIETY VOLUME 1 trade paperback. Collecting ALL-STAR COMICS #58-67, plus the origin of the JSA from DC SPECIAL #29, this book presents the "modern" pre-Crisis adventures of the Earth-2 Justice Society, with the original members (Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Wildcat, Batman, and Superman) growing old and gray, and new heroes (Star-Spangled Kid and Power Girl) joining the team. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting much in terms of the writing, but Paul Levitz and Gerry Conway crafted some amazingly tight, fast-paced stories, and the narration is excellent. It's interesting to see how these heroes developed in "real-time" on Earth-2, with Clark Kent becoming editor of the Daily Star, and Bruce Wayne becoming police commissioner of Gotham City, and Dick Grayson now the US ambassador to a more politically-representative 1970s South Africa. These classic characters deal with threats to their personal lives, as well as threats from Brainwave, the Injustice Gang, Vandal Savage, Vulcan, and others.

As for the art... wow! This is a Wally Wood extravaganza. Actually, pencils are primarily provided by Ric Estrada and Keith Giffen, but Wood inks all of the All-Star Comics stories, and his style really comes through. It's amazingly consistent between the different pencilers and looks beautiful. As for the cover by Brian Bolland, well, what more needs to be said? I'm happy to see that DC has a second volume in the works that will collect the rest of the issues in the series. That, along with a reprint of INFINITY INCORPORATED (please, DC?), would be a heaping helping of Earth-2 goodness!

(One more thing: All-Star Comics #58 contains one of the most unintentionally humorous panels I have ever seen, as the Star-Spangled Kid attacks a criminal in his own inimitable fashion. "Chomp", indeed!)

The novel, The Perfect Shot, by Elaine Marie Alphin, is probably the best book I have ever read. It is basically about a teenager named Brian Hammek. He was outside playing basketball, and he watches his girlfriend get murdered. He loves to play basketball. One day he went to court to try to set his girlfriend's father free, he was kicked out of the courtroom and he hid in the bathroom and was threatened by his girlfriend's murderer. After a game he was up in his room when the murderer broke into his house and tried to kill him. He made the perfect shot on the murderer and saved his family's lives. I think the pace of this book was different than you would find in other books. It starts out fast, but then it slows down. In the end it speeds back up again. If you like thrillers, than this is a book you need to read. You never what is going to happened. That is a quick review of The Perfect Shot.

I saw this book in the bookstore and read the inside cover and thought it sounded very good. But I didn't get to read it for a few months, so I let my camp friend borrow it, and when he finished it in a few weeks, he said it was a very great book.

The story is well played out, and the characters are very great. I loved the mystery within it all, and the sadness throughout. This is a wonderful teen book that is quite amazing, and every teen who enjoys sports books or mystery books should buy this, because it's very entertaining.

I loved this book so much! I dont see how anyone couldn't. i read it for fun and it turned out to teach me a lot about love and about law. I can understand things more clearly by relating experiences to experiences of the characters. their lives are magnificently changing and understandable. i would reccomend this book to people who love teen murder mysteries and amazing pieces of writing that touch your heart. this book made me feel, it made me cry, it made me laugh. this book is about life and understanding the situation. the characters' struggles are real and exciting. this book is amazing.
I couldnt put this book down, but at some parts i had to, this story is very intense and that made it all the more lovely.
the murder of one boy's girlfriend turns into a path to life discovery, a path that leads to the meaning of everything. read this book and follow young Brian, go down the path with him. you will discover too.

I read this book based on a student recommendation. What a welcome surprise. This author deserves much more recognition for her talent. I look at and read Young Adult books all the time, but I knew nothing of this book.

The Perfect Shot is a wonderful look at teen life and the struggles human beings go through when dealing with a loss. This book is also an experienced look at the struggles young adults go through when trying to figure out what their place is in this world.

The book does all of the above and accelerates the plot with a suspenseful ending that will leave the reader wanting to read whatever this author produces.

This book is a gem of a Young Adult book. This is a definite must-read.

I am now going to backtrack and read this author's other books, one of which is an Edgar Award winner.

Like other reviewers, I think this is a great story. There are multiple levels to the plot--a murder mystery, a run at a basketball championship, a school project mirroring real life, a friendship tested. Even with all these elements working together, the story isn't convoluted. The start of the story, though, does drag a bit, especially compared to the fast pace of the rest of the novel. Overall a great read, though--another great one by this author!--and one that boys and girls alike would enjoy.

This book takes the reader on a journey from the struggle of dealing with the deep pain that arose when a father's son was murdered, to finding the transformative power of forgiveness. For those who find it hard to imagine such a leap, this is a must read. For those who have experienced it, it is confirmation.

It was a good book, very inspirational. It was very well written, since both sides were explained very well. Such a tradgedy should be more publicized, since the young kids in the world are just going to keep on doing the same thing. It was a great book, I couldn't put it down.

I read this book after a guest speaker spoke to us about the foundation mentioned in this book. I just loved the father attutide towards all this. It was such a tragedy not just for his family but for others involved. And, I can't get over his attitudes towards the person that killed his son. I totally agree with him and not the book itself but the story behind the book really changed my life.

This book helped me. It is so heartfelt and well-written. The amazing story of the reconciliation of the grandfather of a murder perpetrator, and the father of the victim. Explains principles of restorative justice -- a whole new way of approaching violent crimes. Social workers, lawyers, teachers, police officers, judges should read this.