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Part 4: Restorative Justice
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The 57 Bus, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender and Sexuality
Adolescent Crime vs. Adult Crime
Binary Thought and Inclusive Language
Discrimination and Social Justice
Accountability, Redemption, and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
Debbie and Karl “don’t feel much need for restorative justice.” Debbie can’t imagine what could even come it. “I’m kind of not wanting to do that,” she says. Debbie doesn’t want anything to do with Richard’s punishment (she’s “wary about making any recommendations”), but she is convinced that she doesn’t want him tried as an adult. Debbie says she “doesn’t have enough information” to judge Richard.
Ironically, it is Richard’s lack of remorse that causes Debbie to feel disconnected from his punishment. She is unaware of Richard’s remorse (Sasha still hasn’t seen Richard’s letters), which is exactly what restorative justice seeks to encourage. Restorative justice would provide Debbie with the information she needs to be more involved in Richard’s punishment.
Themes
