He attended every lecture.
He asked questions.
He spent long evenings in the university library.
And he became especially interested in criminal law and the relationship between poverty and the justice system.
During one seminar, a professor asked the class a difficult question.
“Should poverty excuse theft?”
Students immediately began debating.
Some argued that the law must apply equally to everyone.
Others insisted that desperation should always reduce responsibility.
Adam listened carefully.
Then he raised his hand.
“I don’t think poverty makes theft right,” he said. “But I think the law becomes incomplete when it punishes a person without asking what led them to that decision.”
The professor leaned against the desk.
“Explain.”
Adam took a breath.
“If someone steals because they want something expensive, that’s different from someone stealing because they believe their child will go hungry. Both actions can be wrong, but treating the people exactly the same may ignore the reasons behind their behavior.”
