What Are My Rights?: 95 Questions and Answers About Teens and the Law [Paperback]

Thomas A. Jacobs J.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1997

"How long do I have to stay in school?" "Can my property be searched and seized?" "Are my grades public information?" "When can I have a beer?" "What if I'm discriminated against?" Teens often have questions about the law, but they don't know where to turn for answers. Updated with new facts and resources, written in clear, everyday language, this book explores 95 legal questions that pertain specifically to teens. Readers learn about the laws that affect them, appreciate their rights, and consider their responsibilities. Includes questions for reflection and discussion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up?An attorney with extensive experience in the area of law as it applies to youth has assembled 95 questions and answers into an exceptionally solid guide for teens. Recognizing that society has grave responsibilities toward young people, Jacobs voices the need for legal systems to guide and protect them. The scope of information is comprehensive, including issues of family, school, employment, the body and growing up, crime, punishment, and the legal system. Jacobs addresses the basics: the authority of parents, the right of children to be free from abuse, what to do when parents divorce, the need for children to be educated, the rights of employers as well as their teenage employees, and health issues, including substance abuse as well as the legal ramifications of HIV infection. In addition, he deals with issues that kids face everyday: "Can my locker be opened and searched?"; "Can I be made to undergo drug testing to engage in school athletics?"; and "Can I get my own apartment?" Every chapter ends with a list of questions and thought-provoking activities that encourage readers to examine the relevance and the ethics of the law as it affects them. Charts and inserts that contain real-life examples, compelling data, and other information enhance the text. A list of books, organizations, and Web sites germane to the questions are included. This current and comprehensive book is an important inclusion for collections serving teens.?Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. Like the more specialized ACLU Handbooks for Young Americans , this one also uses a question-and-answer format. But unlike those books, it generally steers clear of legal specifics and extended discussion. In clear, everyday language, with just a sprinkling of legal terms, Jacobs presents useful guidelines and background on a variety of topically organized concerns related to teens' rights within the family, at school, on the job, in the community, and within the legal system itself: "What will happen if I get caught shoplifting?" "Can I get an abortion without telling my parents?" "What rights do teen parents have?" Jacobs is not overly judgmental, though he occasionally supplies some stern examples of consequences, as in his response to a question about the legality of sniffing glue or paint thinner. Also, when discussing thorny issues, he sometimes suggests that teens consult trusted adults before making big decisions. "FYI" sections following each discussion question steer readers to additional resources, and "Think about It, Talk about It" sections following each chapter are ideal for teachers. Stephanie Zvirin

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing; Updated Edition edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575420287
• ISBN-13: 978-1575420288
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #961,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas A. Jacobs, J.D., was an Arizona Assistant Attorney General from 1972-1985 where he practiced criminal and child welfare law. He was appointed to the Maricopa County Superior Court in 1985 where he served as a judge pro tem and commissioner in the juvenile and family courts until his retirement in 2008. He also taught juvenile law for ten years as an adjunct professor at the Arizona State University School of Social Work. He continues to write for teens, lawyers and judges.

Visit Judge Jacobs' Web site, www.Askthejudge.info, for free interactive educational tools that provide current information regarding laws, court decisions, and national news affecting teens. It's the only site of its kind to provide legal questions and answers for teens, parents and educators with the unique ability to interact with Judge Jacobs and other teens.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Teens Guid In the World, January 7, 2003

By 

Cortni Tyler (Boston,Mass) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Are My Rights?: 95 Questions and Answers About Teens and the Law (Paperback)

This book was basically adout a teen's life and what main thigs go on. This book has alot of the bad things that teens think adout doing or have done and the consequences of getting caught.This book also gives good advise about everything from being adopted to having sex.

I liked the book because I learned a lot of facts about my life as a teen that will be helpful to me.

I would recommend this book to all of the teens that want to know the limits that they can go in life; good and bad. I would also recommend this book to the parents so that they will have some idea of how to better deal with teens that are out of control and not out of control.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Offers nothing more or less than plain honest truth, without preaching or moralizing, in simple question-and-answer format., December 9, 2006

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Are My Rights?: 95 Questions and Answers About Teens and the Law (Paperback)

Now in an updated edition, What Are My Rights? 95 Questions and Answers About Teens and the Law presents Judge Tom Jacobs' matter-of-fact answers to common questions than teenagers have, from "If my parents get a divorce, will I still get to visit my grandparents?" to "What do I do if I'm being abused or neglected?", "What does emancipation mean?" or "Can my juvenile record be destroyed?" Though written especially to help teens stay out of trouble, What Are My Rights offers nothing more or less than plain honest truth, without preaching or moralizing, in simple question-and-answer format. Enthusiastically recommended for public library collections.

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of "What are My Rights?", August 26, 2011

By 

wordgirl - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Are My Rights?: 95 Questions and Answers About Teens and the Law (Paperback)

A very informative book which I will use in high school counseling groups.
I liked the plain language used by the author and the clear explanations that were provided.