The 57 Bus

The 57 Bus

by

Dashka Slater

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The 57 Bus makes teaching easy.

The 57 Bus: Part 3: Charges Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Within two days, Richard is charged as an adult with two felonies: “aggravated mayhem” and “assault with intent to cause great bodily harm.” Both felonies have “hate-crime clauses” that will increase the time he serves by “one to three years” if he is found guilty. The maximum sentence is life in prison, a punishment he “wouldn’t face” if he was charged as a juvenile instead. Lloyd and Jamal are never questioned by police.
The fact that Richard is charged as an adult so quickly suggests that this was the plan all along. Very little effort is put into questioning Richard, and Lloyd and Jamal are never questioned, despite providing the tools and encouragement for the attack. This illustrates how common it is for juveniles to be charged as adults in Alameda county.
Themes
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime Theme Icon