The Juvenile justice system was originally developed to protect children from the appalling atrocities that they faced in adult jails. Housing young offenders with adult prisoners was proving to be self -destructive and self-.
defeating. These adolescents were being released back into society as hardened criminals. That is why the juvenile justice system was developed. So why then, nearly a century later, is the American Congress taking a step back and reuniting adults and juveniles in the same prison system. Shouldn't we be learning from the mistakes of the past? Obviously that's not what the Congress thinks because 15 states have now made it possible to allow prosecutors (not a judge) to decide whether children arrested for crimes ranging from rape, to shoplifting, to drug charges should be dealt with in the juvenile or criminal justice system. While 45 states have changed their laws making it far easier for judges to send juveniles into the adult criminal system. .
Young offenders often come from broken homes; their problems are deeper than stealing or drug abuse. Commonly the trouble they get themselves in is a cry out for help. And how does society answer? It locks them up in a perilous environment with hardened criminals. These criminals become role models for the youth. Lock up a thirteen year old with murderers, rapists and robbers, and guess he"ll want to be when he grows up? In the juvenile system youth get councelling, rehabilitation and special education. The children imprisoned get beaten and raped. .
Whatever kind of threat you want to choose, be it rape, assault by institution staff, or suicide, prison is a more dangerous place for young offenders. Statistics report that when juveniles are incarcerated with adults they are four times more likely to be raped and sexually attacked, eight times more likely to commit suicide, and twice as likely to be attacked with a weapon.
