True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall, by Mark Salzman

This is such an interesting book. It’s the story of a writer who ends up teaching writing classes to teenage boys in a juvenile detention center, all of whom have committed murder. This is why they’re there and awaiting trial.  Salzman writes about this from his own perspective, but made the wise choice to include essays written by the boys themselves.  It’s a poignant read about writing, teaching, volunteering and rehabilitation.