Felony murder. The law states that if a murder occurs during the commission of a felony (e.g. burglary), the offender's accomplices are also charged with murder. Therefore, the lookout and getaway car driver could face life in prison. Maybe they did not even see a gun or know that a murder would take place. Doesn't matter. (Exactly this scenario is depicted in Walter Dean Meyer's Monster.)

How could an argument and fight between teen boys end up with one dead? Jason and Micah had a troubled childhood. As teens, they were sent by their mother to Mountain Park Baptist Boarding Academy, which was run by a  couple with a documented history of abusing children. Sure enough, the teens were beaten there. They were forbidden from having contact with their families for the first year and every interaction thereafter was monitored by staff. The abuse excuse? Perhaps, but such maltreatment could have been a precipitating factor of the murder.

Treatment of the boys while they were awaiting trial was considerably less than humane. They were not given adequate showers and were forced to stand all day while waiting for their court sessions. The corrections officers taunted them, implying the boys were fresh meat for hardened convicts. Hardly the way we would hope that kids facing charges are treated, especially if we want a low recidivism rate and a lower incarceration rate in the United States.

One Cut by Eve Porinchak, 2017

Eve Porinchak's website
Books on juvenile justice
 

Rosie and Freddie are German kids living in Oahu in December of 1941. Rosie helps her mother with the kindergarten that she runs in her humble abode, while Freddie plays soldiers with the boys, who are close in age to him; they love to play war games since they are in the midst of World War II.

On December 7, 1941, Rosie's world comes tumbling down. She are her brother are forbidden from attending school. Then, her parents are detained by the United States government for questioning.

Rosie calls her Aunt Yvonne and tells her about the situation. She sends her son, Rainer, to pick them up and bring them to live with her. Although her aunt's home is large and luxurious, the family distinctly feels the effects of wartime rationing. "Light meals," as her aunt calls them, leave Rosie longing for more food. Gasoline for vehicles, as well as a number of other items, are also limited by the government.

Yvonne's rules are strict and hard to live with, so the young kids are relieved when their Aunt Etta comes to take them from Yvonne's. The challenges: they need to find a place to live, and Etta needs to find a job. Etta is a young woman herself, and caring for young kids who have recently lost their parents during wartime is never easy.

Different Days by Vicki Berger Erwin, 2017

I love this portrayal of Hawaii during World War II; it gives me a different perspective of this war than other WWII books.

Vicki Berger Erwin's website
Books about Pearl Harbor
 

Teenager Joan is living in England in 1940, right in the midst of the British struggle to defeat the Nazis. Everyone is afraid of the invaders, and everyone must sacrifice. Food that Joan loves is no longer available or is extremely scarce. Bomb threats pervade her school and home. It is pretty much impossible to forget that the war is going on. One day, officials even knock on her front door searching for a military deserter. When will all of this upheaval ever end?

The only solace Joan experiences is the familiarity and support of her loved ones. Her best friend, Doreen, and Derek and Ronnie, urge her to attend dances, for which she contemplates different dress choices. The possibility of dating a cute boy is encouraging to her. She also loves going to the movies with Doreen.

When Joan's mum suggests she befriend the new Polish girl in her school, Joan hesitates. Ania is very quiet, and Joan does not relish the idea of spending time with her. However, after some awkward silent moments together, Ania finally spills open like a raging waterfall. She reveals every last word about her current predicament—how she lost her parents and what it is like to live with Miss Mellor. Suddenly, being friends with Ania is fascinating, and they explore their world in tandem. 

Whistling in the Dark by Shirley Hughes, 2015

I loved this British teenager perspective of the wartime effort.

Books on World War II