Plea

Publication date: 21 July 2022 by University of Iowa Press

The Plea is a fairly quick read that covers the history of Wesley Elkins, a notorious juvenile murderer from the state of Iowa. I had not heard of this case before reading this book, but the authors write in a simple and clear style and quickly engage the reader in the pitiful story. The blurb may be slightly misleading—this is not really a case of someone falsely accused, nor would I describe it as ‘true crime’, as the crime is dispensed with in the first few chapters of the book and serves only as a foundation for what is to come. Rather, this book is an expose on Elkins’s struggle as a juvenile offender for whom the legal system offered no reprieve, nor understanding of his unfortunate past. Spanning several states and many decades, this book is an expansive work whose authors have definitely poured many hours into the research and transmission thereof.

Wesley Elkins is just 11 years old when he coldly plans to murder his father and stepmother, all while his infant half-sister is sleeping in the same bed (luckily, he lets the infant live). The attitude of many in Clayton County, Iowa was direct: this was a heinous and morally depraved act, and Wesley should be incarcerated and the key thrown out. However, Bryan and Wolf explain the circumstances and efforts behind Wesley and his supporters who successfully seek his pardon and parole as a young adult—not to spoil the book too much, but the reasons are as complex as the case itself.

Are people to be defined by the worst thing they have ever done? Are criminals capable of rehabilitation and true repentance? Even now, these are far from simple questions. Juvenile justice reform has come a long way from Wesley’s time—we have dedicated juvenile courts and laws to ensure that the legal system treats minors (and the adults responsible for them) appropriately. I was fascinated by the legal history—Bryan and Wolf even manage to make a legislative session sound exciting and suspenseful. I would certainly recommend this book to those interested in the social and legal history of young offenders in the early 20th century.

The book also goes into great detail about the prison Wesley was incarcerated at, as well as the characters of various wardens and inmates. There is an almost excessive amount of attention given to Susan Glaspell who write a short story, ‘The Plea’, modeled on Wesley Elkins and aiming to rouse the sympathies of the public towards child offenders; looking at Bryan’s academic interests, it seems that she has done quite a lot of work on Glaspell, so I can see why she tied her work into the narrative.

However, one of the biggest drawbacks of this book is due to the nature of its extensive reliance on archival and written records. Much of the basis of this book, as the authors explain early on, is based on writings from Wesley and other people involved in the case directly. As such, the authors frequently turn to make speculative claims about one or other aspects of Wesley’s life. This is one of the few things that made me wonder if this would have been better off remaining as a short article rather than an entire book; there is just so much of Wesley’s life missing, and thus the authors must include too the narrative of the prison, the legislative processes at work in the background, etc. These were interesting, no doubt, and the context was very helpful for the case. However, it does highlight the difficulty in focusing your narrative on a man whose entire later years you have no record of. Perhaps some authorial reflection on Elkins would have helped to pad out the book—I couldn’t help but wonder why he made certain decisions and what he may have thought about his life. Surely the authors, having done so much research and having walked in his footsteps, have some thoughts on these matters.

I do very much appreciate this book for giving me a new perspective on juvenile criminal justice and prison reform; these are certainly important and relevant for the modern reader. While it was far from a perfect book, the authors’ style was engaging and this was a quick read. I learned a lot about Wesley Elkins, and I am happy to think that, even long after his death, his case may still impact the way we think of juvenile justice. I would hesitate to recommend this book if you’re merely interested in true crime, as it is barely about the crime itself and there is no mystery or otherwise suspenseful element to it; but if you are interested in accessible legal and social history, this may be up your alley.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the University of Iowa Press for providing an advanced reader copy of this book. This review reflects only my honest thoughts.