Juvie by Steve Watkins

Watkins, S. (2013). Juvie. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

In this story, 17 year old Sadie takes responsibility for a crime she did not commit to keep her sister, Carla, out of jail. Sadie attends a party with her sister Carla. She knew from past experiences that Carla is known for her reckless behavior, but still attends the party. As soon as they arrive at the party, Carla drinks excessively and hangs-out with a guy whom Sadie nicknames “Scuzzy.” Completely out of her element, Sadie passes time playing beer pong with Scuzzy’s friend, “Dreadlocks.” Sadie then takes Scuzzy and Dreadlocks to get more beer. As soon as they arrive at the 7-Eleven, the guys ask Sadie to park in the back. Scuzzy and Dreadlocks then disappear. Unfortunately, a backpack full of weed sits in the back seat next to Carla and minutes later, the girls are arrested by an undercover cop. Carla is legally an adult with two priors and a 3-year-old daughter. As Sadie is a minor, a good student and a gifted basketball player who might receive comparably light punishment, Sadie’s family asks her to take culpability. She does, landing a six-month sentence in a juvenile detention center. Sadie is shocked by the way inmates are dehumanized in juvie.

I believe that Watkins slowly and carefully makes the case that Sadie assuming responsibility to save her sister is not a selfless act of love, but in its way it is as dishonest as the reasons that put the other inmates in juvie. I believe this quote backs up my theory: "Maybe not being guilty wasn't the same as being innocent." The story also bounces between past and present, which confused me at times, but all of the facts were explained up front in the beginning chapters. I liked that it definitely describes life in Juvie.

Sadie learns that good will must be tempered by caution and that she is responsible for the consequences of her actions, even if she sublimates the motive. This is an important concept for many teens, who may greatly underestimate their own complicity when passively supporting risky behavior. An excellent lesson to be learned. I believe this would make an excellent story for many of my at-risk students that end up in ISS or at the Alternative Center hoping that Carla’s story motivates them to think twice before they act as some students take the fault for their friends in the name of so call, “friendship.” Perhaps students ages 13 and up would be suitable to read this book. If you like this author style of writing, perhaps you may also enjoy reading Down Sand Mountain and What Comes After, which were written by Watkins. Juvie consists of 320 pages.