Sample Exercise Answers
and Jeanne's Comments

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest update: February 24, 1999
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Well written answer, in own words.

1. Women are known to be caretakers of their own children and also the caretaker of other people's children as well.  Women were allowed to work outside of their homes, but their career choices were limited.

   jeanne's comments: Good statement of how woman's plea for vote and to move outside the private sphere of the home into the public sphere fit in with the needs of poor children.  

   Women had to extend their maternal and housekeeping experiences to the community.  During this period of the child-saving movement, the woman's role of being a social worker was created.  Women were in charge of organizing group activities to get the children involved in, so as a result they would stay out of trouble and not be known as juvenile delinquents.

   jeanne's comments: Good explanation of the move into social work within the broader social context.

   2. Categorizing a child's potential behaviors would be a difficult tak. Minow believes it is in the best interest of the children to be led in the right direction when it comes to their behavior.  When placing the children in categories according to their behavior, children in the long run will not be treated equally.  The children who are cooperative and willing to learn will be in one category, and the children who are rebellious and uncooperative in another.

   jeanne's comments: We call this labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy. Good linkage to Minow's work on unstated assumptions that privilege those in power. Minor mis-statement, though of Minow's intent. She may or may not agree with the statement on leading children in the right direction. She would definitely agree that our perception of poor children, and their apparent "difference" from middle class children would color our reaction to the children, since we would tend to privilege our own view of the world.

   Freire feels that these women who are known as child-savers over zealous. 

   jeanne's comments: I don't recall Freire ever speaking of over zealousness. If you have a citation to his work, this is the place to include it. If you are referring to lecture notes, this is the place to remove over zealousness and replace it with a more accurate description of "circles of certainty," which are what Freire calls our wicked little unstated assumptions that make us so sure that we know what's right for everyone.

   These women feel because they are mothers and caretakers they know everything about being a role model in a child's life.

   jeanne's comments: That is a "circle of certainty." Freire.

     Also it appears that these women are only interested in showing children who are from high-middle class families  in the right direction, and avoiding the children who are from lower class families.  The children who are from a lower class are not as privileged to be guided in the correct direction.

   jeanne's comments: This is a mis-statement. These women wanted very much to help poor children. The problem is that they were unable to see that the middle class norms which they knew and which worked for their families did not translate well to poor families and poor children where the social context allowed no privacy, no discretionary time, no supervision, no recreational possibilities. The women privileged their own middle class subjectivity. Not until the days of post-modernism were we to learn the importance of the narrative, the story, the social context, that acts interdependently to establish community norms.

   3. Platt's perspective is "left" because he feels that children who came from a low to middle class families are the ones who are considered juvenile delinquents.

   jeanne's comments: Minor mis-statement here. The causative factor in considering these young people juvenile delinquents is their being caught up in that system. Platt's "left" or "critical" approach does not cause him to so consider them, but causes him to emphasize the criticism of the social context that underlies the problem. The "left" tends to see the problem from many perspectives, to include or to emphasize exclusively the social context, the story of the situation. The "right" or "apology" approach sees the problem, but tends to suggest that the system is doing the best it can and defend the system.

   One critical approach tends to see the problem as centered in the social structure, and to see the solution as changes to the social structure. Most often, this is a "left" approach.

   One apology approach tends to see the problem as centered in the individual, and to see the solution as changes in individual behavior. Most often, this is a "right" approach. (Source: Joan Kemp, Women and Work, 1994.)  

   The law feels that juveniles who have a troubled past can be helped and reform their behavior and become good citizens.

   jeanne's comments: This is a conclusionary statement, offering no authority or research support. Try not to make statements of your personal conclusions without supporting statements, or "precedent." Your argument is more persuasive when you build it on other authorities and research which permit your reader to decide independently if he/she agrees with your conclusion.

    

   Administration took into account that delinquents were either physically or menatally below average. 

   jeanne's comments:No supporting evidence for this statement, and it could be interpreted as factual, and create prejudice. Be very careful of making such isolated statements.

   The courts want to make sure the reform system would provide proper training, that can counteract the impositions of a poor family life, disturbed background, while the delinquents will be trained to face the tough road ahead.

   jeanne's comments: Important to recall that the courts were guided by a strong faith that middle class norms were the proper norms for everyone. There was very little understanding until the last few decades of the importance of the social context.

   4. Child-Savers movement was intended for children to be responsible and independent when it comes to their roles in society.  Children who are less forturnate do not want to be portrayed as youths always heading in the wrong direction because of their family background.

   jeanne's comments: This is one of those answers where I can't figure out what the question was. Please make your answers complete in and of themselves. What you are saying should be backed by a citation to some source. Other than that it makes sense.

   5. Yes, due process is an important issue in the juvenile justice system and also in the present development of that system.  The justice system should not treat each and every case that comes in front of a judge the same.  Depending on the law that was broken and if this was a first time offense should be carefully deliberated. 

   jeanne's comments: Need to add here that the entire social situation in which the problem occurred must be considered. Without that, we will be operating on unstated assumptions. To state the assumptions may not alter the context, but it will make us more aware of the perspectives that are being privileged.

   It is not right for juveniles who are first time offenders to be treated like common law criminals.  These young children realize they have made mistakes but they are willing to learn from  them and pay the consequences.

   jeanne's comments: Conclusionary. Give supporting authority or data. Your argument is always stronger when you can build it with authority and/or data, then make your conclusions so that your reader can agree or disagree.