Marian Wright Edelman: Juveniles Don't Belong in Adult Prisons

[tannybogus]

Jails and prisons are dangerous places for anybody, but especially for children and teens. Many of these institutions house vicious predators who have been locked up for brutal violent crimes. Yet on any given day, approximately 9,500 juveniles under the age of 18 are locked up in adult penal institutions. Children as young as 15 can be prosecuted as adults in many states without review by a judge or a court hearing.

The Campaign for Youth Justice report, "Jailing Juveniles: The Dangers of Incarcerating Youth in Adult Jails in America," released in November 2007, outlines the challenges to keeping children safe in adult jails. It catalogs the numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States where teens are placed in great danger because of the variety of flawed policies and laws governing juvenile incarceration. In 44 states and the District of Columbia, juveniles as young as 14 can be tried in the adult criminal system. Forty states either permit or mandate the jailing of young people in adult facilities before trial.

The report argues that children and teens should not be held to the same standard of accountability for their actions as grown-ups, citing research that shows the developmental differences between adolescents and adults. These findings indicate that the prefrontal cortex, which governs the "executive functions" of reasoning, advanced thinking and impulse control, is one of the last areas of the brain to mature.

In numerous cases, there is no public safety justification for locking up these young people in adult prisons. Juveniles may be held in adult jails for months or even years, although most of them are not charged with a violent crime, and many will not be convicted of any crime. Nevertheless, they languish behind bars with dangerous criminals and are at great risk of being raped and beaten. Many are pushed to attempt suicide.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/juveniles-dont-belong-in_b_116747.html#comments

[bemildred]

1. There are actually very few human beings that belong in prisons.

Even then, a model in which we are taking care of them instead of getting even with them would serve us better.

[tannybogus]

3. I don't understand.

Most of the prisoners will be back in society at some point. Most will be even worse than when they went in.

We have a growing underclass of criminals and we just keep building prisons.

[bemildred]

4. It's very simple, they hate America.

The notion of a free, vibrant, democratic country that works well and serves it's people well is anathema to them, so they do everything they can to keep that from happening. Wars, waste, prisons, trash the public schools, pollute everything, obstruct health care, drug prohibition, police state tactics, you name it.

[flashl]

2. K&R nt