Last Chance in Texas Essay - 1052 Words

Hubner, John. (2005) Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth. New York, NY. Random House Inc. Last Chance in Texas is an eye opening look into the efforts of the juvenile justice system to rehabilitate youth offenders and integrate them back into society. The book chronicles the research of author John Hubner who heard about a facility in Texas that ran an aggressive and one of the most successful, treatment programs in America for violent young offenders. He was particularly curious how a state like Texas, known for its hardcore attitude toward crime, could be a leader in rehabilitating violent and troubled youths. Through a span of over nine months at The Giddings School in Texas, Hubner discovered that making†¦show more content†¦Family fighting, drug use, poor parental guidance ultimately led to a life of anger and violence. As a child, his mother would often leave Ronnie and his brother Kenny alone while she went out to use drugs. On occasion, his aunt would look after the two boys while their mother was away. Not only did their aunt physically abuse them, bu t later on their mother’s boyfriend introduced them to using and selling drugs, stealing, and guns. Re-living these memories was as agonizing and traumatic as one could imagine but it was paramount in learning how and why he became the person he did. Many boys at Giddings were convinced that no one loved them, and Ronnie was no exception. Giddings therapists used these sessions to break through the wall he put up thinking that no one loved them or cared what happened to them. More often than not, they were successful reaching students this way. One unique approach to developing self worth for the students at Giddings was the organization of a football program where they actually played surrounding schools. Hubner saw that this not only was a great release of aggression but also created a sense of trust and camaraderie among students based on mutual respect. Ironically, it was on the football field where they learned that there are alternatives to the violence they usually used to resolve differences. Unlike many football teams with teenage boys, winning was not the ultimate goal for the players at Giddings. In fact, theyShow MoreRelatedLast Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth1424 Words   |  6 Pages1. Name and quick summary of book: Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth, by John Hubner, follows Hubner as he observes the â€Å"worst of the worst† juvenile offenders at Giddings State School. This treatment program is truly a â€Å"last chance† for may of the adolescents there – their last chance to change the direction of their lives before ending up in jail. Hubner takes the reader through a gripping and emotional journey as the teenagers go through the Capitol Offenders group andRead MoreDeterminate Sentencing: Last Chance in Texas Essay1325 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the capital offenders should definitely be transferred to adult prison. It is not justice to have a juvenile kill someone and get out a jail a year or two later simply because they are under the age of eighteen. The Huber (2005) book â€Å"Last Chance in Texas† tells stories about trying to get a kid to break down and cry isn’t always going to make a kid change his ways. The longer these habitually violent juveniles remain behind bars, the more likely the phenomena of â€Å"aging out† will take placeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Last Chance Texas The Gidding s School 943 Words   |  4 Pagesin the resocialization in criminals is through mentoring. For example in, John Hubner’s 2005 book, Last Chance in Texas the Gidding s School takes us on a journey through the youth criminals therapeutic process in where they submerge the students through a progressive interweb of therapy within the school. The interweb includes a football team in which some of the subjects of the Last Chance in Texas partake in. In the book the author introduces Gidding s Football coaches named, Lester Ward and SandyRead MoreEssay On GPA1259 Words   |  6 Pages The admissions requirements for Texas State are very feasible to accomplish. Every year, 73% of applicants get into the university. Although Texas State explains that â€Å"no minimum scores are required, you still must submit your SAT/ACT scores†(Office of Undergraduate Admissions). The average combined SAT score was 1135 and the average combined ACT score was 22 (Naviance). Along with the average test scores, â€Å"your overall academic record is the most important part of [the] application.† The minimumRead MoreFallacies Of The New York Times Website1455 Words   |  6 Pageshas spread from person to person at a Texas hospital. In order to protect the citizens of the United States, a prompt and quick lock down of the entire state of Texas in needed and necessary in order to protect the United States. Since Ebola has officially been confirmed to have spread from one person to another in Texas, it can be assumed that the conditions exist in Texas that allow the spread of the virus to occur. There must be something particular to Texas that allows the virus to gain strengthRead MoreThe Case Against the All White Party in Texas779 Words   |  3 Pages Texas, a southern state that had a deeply rooted sense of racial hatred and discrimination, barred blacks from voting in the Democratic Primary since 1903. Race equality was objected as a rule in the state, and African Americans involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People fought against all white primaries to change the race-based segregation, in which the Texas All White Primary became to be known. The fight against the All-White Primary lead to precedents in whichRead MoreHow to Treat Violent Young Offenders1007 Words   |  5 Pagesto receive treatment,it does more damage than good. For example, John Hubner’s(2005) book, Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth, describes how experimental treatments at the Giddings State School in Texas can change the lives of violent young offenders for the better. Giddings State School is a facility run by the Texas Youth Commission for those who have not only broken the law in Texas, but who are also considered to be â€Å"the worst of the worst† (p. xviii). This means that GiddingsRead MoreAffermative Action1316 Words   |  6 Pagessuch as in the court case of Hopwood V. Texas reverse discrimination suit. A court ruling said that the University of Scott3 Texas Law School was banned from using race at all in their admitting. Attorney General Dan Morales of Texas has understood the ruling as banning Affirmative Action in admissions, scholarships and college recruiting programs. This ruling is now being applied to almost all Texas colleges (Applebome a14). As Peter Applebome puts it Texas and C alifornia have become laboratoriesRead MoreTexas Lottery and Education1697 Words   |  7 PagesTexas Lottery and Education Funding Destinee Caster Abstract Texans believe that participating in the Texas Lottery helps the Texas Education Foundation but little do they know; how much money actually goes to the Texas Education Foundation. The effect of the Texas Lottery is causing more of a negative impact on Texans than the Education Foundation is benefiting. The Texas Lottery negatively impacts the people that play the lottery and the programs that are supposed to benefit from theRead MoreJob Experience At College Graduates1443 Words   |  6 Pagessecondarily failed a class I did not enjoy in mechanical, my grade point average dropped considerably. The job fair does not appreciate those with a grade point average below a 3.0, yet there are certain companies willing to give students like us a second chance if proven in other areas of merit. As of today, I still have not gotten an internship position yet and as my undergraduate career reaches its end, I have to accept my fate that applying for internships will never occur. This new idea of changing gears