The Flaws of the Juvenile Justice System Exposed in Sleepers
1. Introduction
Sleepers is a 1996 American drama film directed by Barry Levinson and based on Lorenzo Carcaterra’s eponymous 1991 novel. The film stars Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, Bruno Kirby, and Dustin Hoffman. The story is set in New York City in the mid-1960s and revolves around the lives of four teenage friends who are wrongfully convicted of a crime and sent to a juvenile detention center, where they are sexually abused by the guards. After they are released, they take revenge on the guard who abused them.
The film addresses the issue of the juvenile justice system in depth. It highlights the various flaws in the system that make it ineffective and often cause innocent children to be caught up in its web. It also points out the ways in which the system fails to reform those it is supposed to help and instead drives them towards a life of crime.
2. The Inconsequential Nature of the Juvenile Justice System
The juvenile justice system is shown to be inconsequential in a number of ways throughout the film. Firstly, it is clear that the system does not deter crime as evidenced by the fact that Thomas, John, and Michael all reoffend after being released from Wilkinson Home. Secondly, the system is ineffective in rehabilitating offenders as evidenced by the fact that Thomas, John, and Michael all end up leading lives of crime even after going through the juvenile justice system. Thirdly, the system is unfair in its treatment of offenders as evidenced by the fact that Thomas, John, and Michael are all given excessively harsh sentences for their crimes while their abuser, Sean Nokes, is only given a token sentence.
All of these factors combine to show that the juvenile justice system is ineffective and often causes more harm than good. This is further highlighted by the fact that Thomas, John, and Michael all end up taking revenge on Sean Nokes after they are released from Wilkinson Home. Their actions show that the juvenile justice system has failed to reform them or teach them anything about right and wrong. Instead, it has driven them towards a life of crime.
3. The Faulty Nature of the Community
The community is shown to be faulty in a number of ways throughout the film. Firstly, there is a lack of support for children who are caught up in the juvenile justice system as evidenced by the fact that Thomas, John, and Michael all feel isolated and alone during their time at Wilkinson Home. Secondly, there is a lack of understanding for how the juvenile justice system works as evidenced by the fact that most people seem to believe that Thomas, John, and Michael are guilty even though they were innocent. Finally, there is a lack of accountability for those who work within the juvenile justice system as evidenced by the fact that Sean Nokes is able to abuse Thomas, John, and Michael with impunity.
All these factors contribute to a community that is unable or unwilling to support its most vulnerable members. This highlights how flawed and broken the community really is. It also serves to further highlight how important it is for there to be reform within the juvenile justice system so that children like Thomas, John, and Michael can have a chance at a better future. 4 The Moral Nature of Wilkinson Home Wilkinson Home is shown to be a moral institution in a number of ways throughout the film.
Firstly, it is clear that the staff at Wilkinson Home care about the wellbeing of their charges as evidenced by the way they go out of their way to help Thomas, John, and Michael. Secondly, it is clear that the staff at Wilkinson Home are committed to reform as evidenced by the fact that they work tirelessly to help Thomas, John, and Michael turn their lives around. Finally, it is clear that the staff at Wilkinson Home believe in second chances as evidenced by the fact that they give Thomas, John, and Michael a chance to start anew after they are released from Wilkinson Home.
All of these factors show that Wilkinson Home is a moral institution that is committed to helping its charges turn their lives around. This serves to further highlight how broken and flawed the juvenile justice system is. It also serves to highlight how important it is for there to be reform within the system so that more children can be given a chance at a better future. 5 The Reformation of Thomas, John, and Michael The film follows the three main characters, Thomas, John, and Michael, as they are released from Wilkinson Home and start to rebuild their lives. All three characters go through a process of reform and become better people as a result.
Thomas becomes a successful businessman who is able to provide for his family. John becomes a talented artist who uses his art to express his feelings about his time in prison. Finally, Michael becomes a committed father who is determined to give his son a better life than he had. All three characters are able to overcome their pasts and build successful futures for themselves thanks to the reform process they went through at Wilkinson Home.
This highlights how important it is for there to be reform within the juvenile justice system. It also serves to show how broken and flawed the system really is. 6 The Death of Sean Nokes Sean Nokes is killed by Thomas, John, and Michael after they are released from Wilkinson Home. His death serves a number of purposes within the film. Firstly, it highlights how ineffective the juvenile justice system is at reforming offenders. Secondly, it serves as a form of justice for Thomas, John, and Michael after they were abused by Sean Nokes while they were in his care. Finally, it highlights how important it is for there to be reform within the juvenile justice system.
All of these factors serve to further highlight how broken and flawed the juvenile justice system really is. It also serves to show how important it is for there to be reform so that more children can be given a chance at a better future. 7 The Aftermath of “Sleepers” The film ends with Thomas, John, and Michael being given new identities and placed in Witness Protection program. This allows them to start new lives away from their pasts.
The film also highlights how important it is for there to be reform within the juvenile justice system. This is seen in the way that Thomas, John, and Michael are all able to overcome their pasts and build successful futures for themselves thanks to the reform process they went through at Wilkinson Home.
8. Conclusion Sleepers is a powerful film that highlights the various flaws in the juvenile justice system. It also serves to show how important it is for there to be reform within the system so that more children can be given a chance at a better future.