In “Children of the State,” Jeff Hobbs writes about the school-to-prison pipeline and life in the juvenile “justice” system.
For many kids, a mistake made at age 13 or 14 — often resulting from external factors coupled with a biologically immature brain — can resonate through the rest of their lives, making high school difficult, college nearly impossible, and a middle-class life a mere fantasy.
Writing with great heart and sensitivity, Hobbs challenges preconceived perceptions about how the juvenile justice system works — and demonstrates in brilliant, piercing prose: No one so young should ever be considered irredeemable.