Saving Noah

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses pedophilia, rape, child sexual abuse and violence, possible incest, suicide ideation, and death by suicide.

Saving Noah discusses the gap in the functioning of the justice system regarding juvenile sex offenders, or adolescents who abuse younger children and are unsuccessfully reintegrated into society. The text also examines society’s decision to not separate juvenile perpetrators from adult criminals and the potential lack of potential for reform this creates. The novel argues that placing juveniles on the sex offender registry—which means the charges against them are public knowledge—may actually inhibit them from integrating back into society. This argument references contemporary conversations about the efficacy of the registry for juvenile offenders. Maria Blackburn notes that “registering kids makes them targets for violence and increases their risk for mental health and other problems—without reducing reoffending” (Blackburn, Maria. “The Harms of Placing Kids on Sex Offender Registries.” Hopkins Bloomsberg Public Health, 24 Feb. 2024). In the novel, Noah’s label as a sex offender outlasts his 18-month sentence. While this might appear justified, Noah is beaten up viciously in an act that includes sexual violence. Adrianne observes that the point of the justice system should be to rehabilitate juvenile offenders who may be able to recover with adequate support; however, in practice, the system is more about punishment.