---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Did you know that seventy-five to eighty…"
description: "\"“Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of juvenile offenders can’t read at grade level?” “Really?” This was news to me. “Your world becomes ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg"
---

#  Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of…

![“Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of juvenile offenders can’t read at grade level?” “Really?” This was news to me. “Your world becomes a much smaller place if you can’t read. You have far fewer options. It’s not the only factor, but it’s a big one. If they want to know how big to…” quote by Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg)

> ““Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of juvenile offenders can’t read at grade level?” “Really?” This was news to me. “Your world becomes a much smaller place if you can’t read. You have far fewer options. It’s not the only factor, but it’s a big one. If they want to know how big to build a prison, all they have to do is look at the illiteracy statistics.” “They knew I was coming.” “You or someone like you.” “You knew it too, all those years ago, back in Quincy. That’s why you tried to help me. Because you knew I was coming here.” “Here or someplace like here.””

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A large portion of juvenile offenders are illiterate, limiting their opportunities and contributing to crime, suggesting literacy as a key intervention.

**In simple terms:** Illiteracy fuels juvenile crime.

Key Takeaway

Invest in literacy to reduce offending.

Themes

education illiteracy juvenile crime opportunity social inequality

Mood

concerned hopeful

Type

policy inspirational

When to use this quote

- schools
- juvenile detention centers
- community programs
- legislative hearings

Key Concepts

sociology policy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does literacy affect crime rates?
- What programs best improve reading skills?

A Different Perspective

Addressing poverty alone won’t solve the problem.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dylan-dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dylan-dawson/) [Illiteracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiteracy/)

## Related quotes

> [“We are all rotting, making our way from womb to tomb, to the rhythm of the great clock counting downward to the grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/we-are-all-rotting-making-our-way-from-womb-to-tomb-to-the-rhythm-of/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [All I do know is I had help. Someone knew I was in trouble and sent a light to guide the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-pendragon/all-i-do-know-is-i-had-help-someone-knew-i-was-in-trouble-and-sent-a/)

[Arthur Pendragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-pendragon/)

> [“Words are like people, I think. Put too many of them too close together and they cause trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/words-are-like-people-i-think-put-too-many-of-them-too-close-together/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“As soon as I left one town, I was in another, each one a totally different world, as if an invisible box surrounded its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/as-soon-as-i-left-one-town-i-was-in-another-each-one-a-totally/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“And no one asked me, Do you want to? Can you? Or said, We will help you, you can't do this all by yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-persson-giolito/and-no-one-asked-me-do-you-want-to-can-you-or-said-we-will-help-you/)

[Malin Persson Giolito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-persson-giolito/)

> [“So quit asking everybody else questions, unless you’re ready to answer some questions yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/so-quit-asking-everybody-else-questions-unless-you-re-ready-to-answer/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I have loved and been loved, thoroughly and deeply by good and decent people who believed in me. Who let me dare to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-have-loved-and-been-loved-thoroughly-and-deeply-by-good-and-decent/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Where we goin’?” Wade whispers to me as we approach the white picket fence that surrounds the row of wooden crosses. For all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/where-we-goin-wade-whispers-to-me-as-we-approach-the-white-picket/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“But thinkin’ you owe people is dangerous business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/but-thinkin-you-owe-people-is-dangerous-business/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“It brings back a long-forgotten memory of Christmas, the year I turned six. I was supposed to be in bed, but I was up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-brings-back-a-long-forgotten-memory-of-christmas-the-year-i-turned/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I didn’t tell the story to ask for help because I knew there was no help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-didn-t-tell-the-story-to-ask-for-help-because-i-knew-there-was-no/)

[China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/)

> [“Are you a virgin?” I asked, “A virgin who’s gonna tear out my heart?” “Yes … no … wait.” She looked at me. “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/are-you-a-virgin-i-asked-a-virgin-who-s-gonna-tear-out-my-heart-yes/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I used to think that words and music could change the world, but look at the people who have made it. You see their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-used-to-think-that-words-and-music-could-change-the-world-but-look/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Is she worth all that pain?” he asked me, smiling. “Definitely,” I said, still reeling from the events of the day. “But I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/is-she-worth-all-that-pain-he-asked-me-smiling-definitely-i-said/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [God help us for we knew the worst too young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/god-help-us-for-we-knew-the-worst-too-young/)

[Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/)

## More by Carolee Dean

> [“Let me love you, girl who came from the sea. Let us swim to the bottom of the ocean where we can be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/let-me-love-you-girl-who-came-from-the-sea-let-us-swim-to-the-bottom/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“A man's beliefs are his destiny. As soon as my father believed his life was over, it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/a-man-s-beliefs-are-his-destiny-as-soon-as-my-father-believed-his/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“As long as you're breathing, there's still hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/as-long-as-you-re-breathing-there-s-still-hope/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“We are all rotting, making our way from womb to tomb, to the rhythm of the great clock counting downward to the grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/we-are-all-rotting-making-our-way-from-womb-to-tomb-to-the-rhythm-of/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Is she worth all that pain?” he asked me, smiling. “Definitely,” I said, still reeling from the events of the day. “But I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/is-she-worth-all-that-pain-he-asked-me-smiling-definitely-i-said/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I used to think that words and music could change the world, but look at the people who have made it. You see their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-used-to-think-that-words-and-music-could-change-the-world-but-look/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Are you a virgin?” I asked, “A virgin who’s gonna tear out my heart?” “Yes … no … wait.” She looked at me. “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/are-you-a-virgin-i-asked-a-virgin-who-s-gonna-tear-out-my-heart-yes/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Blood never forgets. It has a memory of an ancient path toward home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/blood-never-forgets-it-has-a-memory-of-an-ancient-path-toward-home/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I hear my father's voice faintly, over the telephone, answering for me in a soft drawl. "He's my son." He reaches out his hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-hear-my-father-s-voice-faintly-over-the-telephone-answering-for-me/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“It brings back a long-forgotten memory of Christmas, the year I turned six. I was supposed to be in bed, but I was up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-brings-back-a-long-forgotten-memory-of-christmas-the-year-i-turned/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“How badly i needed to see what was in my head o the page. even if i could barely read it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/how-badly-i-needed-to-see-what-was-in-my-head-o-the-page-even-if-i/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“It was then that i understood what i had to do. i had to find a way to warn you. They have built a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-was-then-that-i-understood-what-i-had-to-do-i-had-to-find-a-way-to/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“The mind can only remember what it's willing to remember - because if you are guilty, then the truth is not the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/the-mind-can-only-remember-what-it-s-willing-to-remember-because-if/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“But thinkin’ you owe people is dangerous business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/but-thinkin-you-owe-people-is-dangerous-business/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Where we goin’?” Wade whispers to me as we approach the white picket fence that surrounds the row of wooden crosses. For all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/where-we-goin-wade-whispers-to-me-as-we-approach-the-white-picket/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

[Explore all 69 Carolee Dean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

## More Dylan-dawson quotes

> [“We are all rotting, making our way from womb to tomb, to the rhythm of the great clock counting downward to the grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/we-are-all-rotting-making-our-way-from-womb-to-tomb-to-the-rhythm-of/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Is she worth all that pain?” he asked me, smiling. “Definitely,” I said, still reeling from the events of the day. “But I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/is-she-worth-all-that-pain-he-asked-me-smiling-definitely-i-said/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I used to think that words and music could change the world, but look at the people who have made it. You see their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-used-to-think-that-words-and-music-could-change-the-world-but-look/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Are you a virgin?” I asked, “A virgin who’s gonna tear out my heart?” “Yes … no … wait.” She looked at me. “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/are-you-a-virgin-i-asked-a-virgin-who-s-gonna-tear-out-my-heart-yes/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“It brings back a long-forgotten memory of Christmas, the year I turned six. I was supposed to be in bed, but I was up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/it-brings-back-a-long-forgotten-memory-of-christmas-the-year-i-turned/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“But thinkin’ you owe people is dangerous business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/but-thinkin-you-owe-people-is-dangerous-business/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Where we goin’?” Wade whispers to me as we approach the white picket fence that surrounds the row of wooden crosses. For all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/where-we-goin-wade-whispers-to-me-as-we-approach-the-white-picket/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I have loved and been loved, thoroughly and deeply by good and decent people who believed in me. Who let me dare to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-have-loved-and-been-loved-thoroughly-and-deeply-by-good-and-decent/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“So quit asking everybody else questions, unless you’re ready to answer some questions yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/so-quit-asking-everybody-else-questions-unless-you-re-ready-to-answer/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“As soon as I left one town, I was in another, each one a totally different world, as if an invisible box surrounded its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/as-soon-as-i-left-one-town-i-was-in-another-each-one-a-totally/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“Words are like people, I think. Put too many of them too close together and they cause trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/words-are-like-people-i-think-put-too-many-of-them-too-close-together/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“How do you know where a story begins?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/how-do-you-know-where-a-story-begins/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“We sit in silence, all the unanswered and unasked questions thicker than the wall of glass between us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/we-sit-in-silence-all-the-unanswered-and-unasked-questions-thicker/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“What happened?” “I tried to be somebody different from who I am and it didn’t work out.” “The world ain’t set up that way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/what-happened-i-tried-to-be-somebody-different-from-who-i-am-and-it/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

> [“I have a class in Hermosa Beach that starts at eight, but …” I wanted to offer to pick up her car, drive her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/i-have-a-class-in-hermosa-beach-that-starts-at-eight-but-i-wanted-to/)

[Carolee Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/)

[Browse all 36 Dylan-dawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dylan-dawson/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of juvenile offenders can’t read at grade level?” “Really?” This was news to me. “Your world becomes a much smaller place if you can’t read. You have far fewer options. It’s not the only factor, but it’s a big one. If they want to know how big to build a prison, all they have to do is look at the illiteracy statistics.” “They knew I was coming.” “You or someone like you.” “You knew it too, all those years ago, back in Quincy. That’s why you tried to help me. Because you knew I was coming here.” “Here or someplace like here.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carolee Dean"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty-percent-of-juvenile/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dylan-dawson"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty-percent-of-juvenile/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/carolee-dean-9964_dylan-dawson_did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty_2726680.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Did you know that seventy-five to eighty percent of juvenile offenders can’t read at grade level?” “Really?”…” — Carolee Dean",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Carolee Dean",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolee-dean/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Did you know that seventy-five to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty-percent-of-juvenile/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolee-dean/did-you-know-that-seventy-five-to-eighty-percent-of-juvenile/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
