Roger J.R. Levesque: Adolescence, Discrimination, and the Law: Addressing Dramatic Shifts in Equality Jurisprudence

In Adolescence, Discrimination, and the Law, author Roger J.R. Levesque provides an introduction into the legal realm of adolescence, discrimination, and some of the challenges faced by the court in relation to them. This book’s structure is academic in nature referring to previous works and outside sources. From this it can be assumed that the target audience would be likewise at least university level readers with experience in empirical and academic texts. With that being stated, the text seems to serve multiple purposes at the same time. As a whole, this work has overlaying and connecting themes serving as a general introduction into the legal arguments of the topics at hand, namely adolescents and the legal systems interaction with them. However, the individual chapters go into minute detail in regards to the topics and cases related to them. This combination helps to properly inform readers without leaving them get lost in the gritty aspects of the U.S. legal system. By the close of the book, Levesque argues that the legal system is in dire need of reform regarding the way it responds to discrimination. Specifically, the Supreme Court and the legal system need to make sure their response is one that effectively influences schools, the public opinion, and juvenile detention services to properly promote equality and like-minded values (Levesque 2015). After evaluating the content of the text, it becomes easy to see why he, or others, may arrive at such a conclusion. …