The 57 Bus

The 57 Bus

by

Dashka Slater

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The 57 Bus: Part 4: A Structured Environment Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Nancy O’Malley can’t say for sure why her office withdrew Richard’s original offer. “It keeps getting continued and continued and continued and the result is that he sits in our facility without having meaningful treatment,” she explains. O’Malley says that it is clear, “unfortunately,” that Richard needs “a structured environment.”
O’Malley’s withdrawal of Richard’s original offer for no reason reflects the system’s institutionalized racism. If Richard is in prison, then he is removed from society, and this is the “structure” that O’Malley refers to.
Themes
Discrimination and Social Justice Theme Icon
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness Theme Icon