Background

Research for this story included Mavis Thorpe Clark spending many sessions in the Children's Court familiarising herself with the law as it applied to young people.

About the story

Thirteen-year-old Jude lives in a bayside suburb of Melbourne. As her parents' relationship breaks down, her mother's drinking becomes worse. Jude finds herself in the Children's Court after she is caught shoplifting, assaulting another girl and stealing a car.

Excerpt

"The car moved a bit quicker, but still not fast.

Tricia was running along the footpath with them, her hand on the handle of the open door.

"Stop!" she was shouting. "Stop it!"

The car swung away from her and the handle pulled out of the hand, and the vehicle lurched into the middle of the road that gentled down to the main highway. She ran after it, to slam the swinging door shut, then jumped back to the footpath, angry and frightened."

- Solomon's Child (1981) page 147.

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