Socratic Seminar-Preparation

I. Part One: Preparing Your Answers

Directions: Below you will find the two anchor questions for your discussions. Prepare
arguments and evidence to use to support your position and discredit counter-arguments.

1. Should Greg Ousley have been tried as an adult?

Argument Evidence Counter-Argument Rebuttal

No, Greg Ousley Multiple times he There are a number It's exactly that he
was exceptionally mentions that he of kids with lives as failed this degree of
young at the time. has friends whom stressful and full of decision making
Not only did he have we tells about his conflict as Ousley. that he should be
the background that thoughts of murder Yet he still choose getting help. Since
perpetuates mental and suicide. Clearly to commit a heinous he was a teenager
instability but his they did nothing to crime instead of making adult
substance abuse help or dissuade working towards decisions he was
combined with the him. At the end of escaping his bound to make
lack of external his crime he even situation. He also mistakes. He needs
support show that ran to a friends never went to psychological help
he not only had house for comfort teachers or other to evaluate. He
internal strife to and escape. He adults about the even managed to
drive him to such mentions how he issues he was pull himself together
end but a severe could tell that the having. The friends enough to become
lack of external trouble would fall to he confided in had an adult. Making the
support. The timing him when he saw the exact same hard decisions
of when and how he his sisters moving mental reorganizing about college and a
had these issues out of the house. that he was going more positive future
also correlates with How one of them through as a that have the same
the departure of his even said that all teenager. This sort degree of
sisters. With them the strife would fall of action and responsibility. If he
gone he had no one to him now that decision making is had gotten the help
but his parents at they were going to one that requires a sooner than maybe
home with whom he leave. large amount of he would have been
contended with responsibility if he the Greg he is now
regularly. was willing to take instead of the one
that on than he that made the
should be willing to mistake long ago.
take the
responsibility of an
adult.
2. How should the judicial system handle juveniles who commit crimes? What about violent
crimes?
Argument Evidence Counter-Argument Rebuttal

The system should In the Juvenile The government The government's

provide a greater dont deserve life doesnt have that was given to it by
abundance of aid sentences Gail kind of money. the people and
both psychological Garinger mentions There's no should be used to
and career oriented. that teen minds are guarantee that these help them in return.
The greater majority in a state of programs will help We cant afford to
of teens who reformation. During every teen that write off certain
commit these acts which the mind commits a crime. teens as lost and
are in situations that destroys certain The cost for such an gone forever.
they arent ready for brain tissue to later endeavor would Abandoning them in
and cant handle. reconstitute better weigh heavily on the prison is the easy
What they do in than before. already taxed way of solving this
reply to this isnt However this can national budget. The but not the right
something we cause teens to incarceration isnt way.
should overlook and make certain ill the best but they do
a degree of advised decisions get psychologists for
punishment is while the brain is the mental burden of
necessary. However reconstituting itself. being in jail for long
this punishment periods. That and
shouldnt come at the there's no
the cost of their right sentence for solitary
to get help for their confinement which
psychological would damage a
needs. juvenile mind
incredibly.
II. Part Two: Furthering Questions

Directions: Using the sentences frames given, come up with at least five furthering questions
that you can ask during the Socratic seminar.

1.What puzzles me is how we can solve this problem without adding extra layers of
complication to the already confusing laws surrounding juveniles.

2. Id like to discuss the victim's opinion on how the teens should be treated versus the
perpetrators relatives.

3. Im confused about why were splitting the seminar into two questions.

4. I wonder if other counties or states would have different jurisdictions on different cases.

5. While I see what you are saying, have you considered that the government or state is
already doing all it can to provide psychological help for those in its care.

III. Part Three: Notes

Directions: During the seminar, use this section to take notes on what others say and jot down
ideas. These can be used in your discussion or later in your paper.