A Dream Denied : Incarceration, Recidivism, and Young Minority Men in America

__A Dream Denied: Incarceration, Recidivism, and Young Minority Men in America__ shows how the narrative of American dream shapes the offending trajectories of twenty-three young Latino and African American men in Boston and Chicago. Believing in the American dream helps the teenagers cope with the pains of incarceration. However, without the ability to experience themselves as creative actors, reproducing the rhetoric of American meritocracy leaves the teenagers unprepared to negotiate the complex and frustrating process of desistance and reentry. 'a Dream Denied' Shows How The Narrative Of American Dream Shapes The Offending Trajectories Of Twenty-three Young Latino And African American Men In Boston And Chicago. Believing In The American Dream Helps The Teenagers To Cope With The Pains Of Incarceration. However, Without The Ability To Experience Themselves As Creative Actors, Reproducing The Rhetoric Of American Meritocracy Leaves The Teenagers Unprepared To Negotiate The Complex And Frustrating Process Of Desistance And Reentry. The Role Of Agency In The Desistance Process -- Two Cities, Two Systems, Similar Problems: Juvenile Justice In Boston And Chicago -- Too Little Too Late Juvenile Justice As A Social Service Provider -- The Imagination Of Desistance -- Weak Ties-strong Emotions: Caring For Juvenile Offenders In Boston And Chicago -- The Uncertainty Of Freedom-teenagers' Desire For Confinement And Supervision -- I Know How To Control Myself-autonomy And Discipline In The Desistance Process. Michaela Soyer. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Young minority men are often portrayed in popular media as victims of poverty and discrimination. A Dream Denied delves deeper, investigating the social and cultural implications of the "American dream" narrative for young minority men in the juvenile justice systems in Boston and Chicago. This book connects young male offenders' cycles of desistance and recidivism with normative assumptions about success and failure in American society, exposing a tragic disconnect between structural reality and juvenile justice policy. This book challenges us to reconsider how American society relates to its most vulnerable members, how it responds to their personal failures, and how it promises them a better future.

The role of agency in the desistance process -- Two cities, two systems, similar problems: juvenile justice in Boston and Chicago -- Too little too late juvenile justice as a social service provider -- Imagining desistance -- Weak ties-strong emotions: caring for juvenile offenders in Boston and Chicago -- The uncertainty of freedom: teenagers' desire for confinement and supervision -- "I know how to control myself": autonomy and discipline in the desistance process.