Robin Abcarian

Prosecuting teens who become pregnant is an ineffective way of discouraging teen pregnancy, contends Robin Abcarian in the following viewpoint. In fact, she asserts, criminalizing teen sex is more likely to result in the concealment of pregnancies, thus denying teenage girls the help and care they need. In addition, Abcarian argues, prosecuting teen sex may convince teens that abortion is the best solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Abcarian is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What was Amanda Smisek’s sentence for fornication, as cited by Abcarian"

2. What percentage of the babies born to California’s teen mothers were fathered by men twenty and older, according to the California Senate Office of Research"

3. How did the prosecutions of Amanda Smisek and Kirsten Sundberg differ...