Book Description

Hurting Kids explores religion's impact on Americans' beliefs about justice and on teenagers who get in trouble with the law. Why do many of us assume that punishment is an appropriate moral response to crime? How have diverging Christian narratives about divine punishment and God's mercy supported different responses to juvenile wrongdoing? What do these competing notions of justice imply for youth "offenders" today, nearly all of whom have been violated by the unjust and traumatic circumstances of their lives? Weaving together research on the juvenile justice system, theological analysis, self-examination of white privilege, and the stories and perspectives of incarcerated youth, Hurting Kids asks us to understand and care about the complicated humanity of a population of teenagers who are often deemed not only "delinquent" but dispensable. Sharing snippets of her conversations with incarcerated youth, Lelwica demonstrates that whatever harm these kids have inflicted on others is rooted in the painful experiences they have survived--experiences that are shaped by systemic injustices that benefit people with privilege. Ultimately, Hurting Kids challenges common assumptions about "guilt" and "innocence," while advocating for a kind of justice for youth that promotes equity, compassion, accountability, and healing for all.