Gabriel City » Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Prison in California Closes

hcdmedia — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:41:50 +0000

California’s largest juvenile prison has closed and will become an adult facility. Read more here.

Glimpse into a Troubled Youth Prison

hcdmedia — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:24:54 +0000

Edwin, an 18-year old teenager with emotional and behavioral problems, was recently released from the New York youth prison, Highland Residential Center. Like many of the juveniles who pass through New York youth prisons, Edwin experienced many instances of abuse and mistreatment by the prison staff. He never felt safe at Highland, and when he left, he was no more rehabilitated then when he had entered it. The operations at Highland and other youth prisons in New York have been recently brought to public attention by the media, and a state task force has concluded that the youth prisons need to be fixed.

Juvies

hcdmedia — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:30:53 +0000

Photographer Ara Oshagan has a photography series she calls “Juvies.” She documents high-risk juvenile offenders who are being charged as adults in the state of California.

More of Oshagan’s photography can be viewed on her website.

The Beat Within

hcdmedia — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:15:35 +0000

The Beat Within is a journal for and by incarcerated youth. The mission of the journal is to provide a creative outlet for young people within the prison system, and it features poetry, art and creative writing.

Here’s a poem from the latest issue:

I Forgive You

by Remy in Alameda

I forgive you

For not being there for me

I forgive you

For leaving me

I forgive you

For neglecting me

I forgive you

For keeping my brothers away from me

I forgive you

For hurting my mommy

I forgive you

For hurting me over and over again

I forgive you

For lying to me

I forgive you

For standing me up

I forgive you

For not being in my kid’s life

I forgive you

For leting someone else take your place

I forgive you

For not being my father

I forgive you

Crisis in New York Youth Prisons

hcdmedia — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:19:49 +0000

A confidential draft report prepared by a task force appointed by Governor Patterson and led by John Jay College of Criminal Justice president Jeremy Travis states that the juvenile prison system in New York has reached a state of crisis. The juvenile system houses about 900 young people at 28 facilities across the state. The report found that excessive violence was used in dealing with the youth, and the facilities were ill equipped to deal with addiction and psychological illness.

The report states:

These institutions are often sorely underresourced, and some fail to keep their young people safe and secure, let alone meet their myriad service and treatment needs…In some facilities, youth are subjected to shocking violence and abuse.

Saying Sorry in Ireland

hcdmedia — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:06:39 +0000

In Northern Ireland, many juvenile offenders have been sent to “youth conferences” – meetings that entail free restorative work and face-to-face apologies. The results have been published and amazingly, these meetings seem to reduce crime and lower rates of recidivism. More than 5,000 meetings between criminals and victims have taken place since 2003 and a marked difference in percentage of youth re-offending was found between those who took part in restorative justice programs and those who were given custodial terms. Roughly 38% of 10 to 17 year olds participating in the program in Northern Ireland in 2006 re-offended within a year, compared to 71% of those given custodial terms.

Use of Excessive Force in New York Youth Prisons

hcdmedia — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:14:05 +0000

A new report by the US Department of Justice states that juvenile facilities in New York have been found to have used excessive force to discipline residents. A report from 2006 by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union rated New York youth centers some of the worst in the world. Will the federal government have to take over New York state’s juvenile justice system? Read more in today’s New York Times article.