Discussion 1) After reading the article Teenagers, Friends and Bad Decisions, reflect on your own teenage years. Are the results of this study true of you or someone you knew? Did this result in being labeled? What was the label? Was it a fair assessment of the circumstances?  What are your thoughts after watching Harsh Punishment for Misbehavior in Texas Schools and How we are priming some kids for college – and others for prison. 

Discussion 2) Think about the following quote from the book The Patriarchs by Beth Moore: “We are far more successful in nursing our prejudices if we can avoid knowing our target group personally and seeing them as individuals with value.”  Read or listen to a speech by Elie Wiesel on indifference. Would you say this is true for you? Are juveniles a target group you avoid or are indifferent toward?

Discussion 3)Develop a profile of the “typical” delinquent based upon official statistics. Next, develop a profile of the “typical” delinquent based upon your personal experiences or observations. What do any of these profiles tell you about the personal story of these juveniles?  Read the articles Liz Murray, Homeless to Harvard and She finally has a home: Harvard. Watch Fighting (the Propensity for) Crime with Big Data. Does either teen fit the characteristics of the official profile of a delinquent? What do you think Big Data would have predicted for each of these young ladies? What does each of their stories say about utilizing official statistics or Big Data in the development of programs for juveniles? What does it say about society’s response to at-risk children? Where is our creativity?