Adult Prison Essay

for youngsters who have a long history of convictions for less serious felonies for which the juvenile court disposition has not been effective” (qtd. in Katel). Housing juveniles in adult prisons, not as common but unethical to some and others see as necessary. Is the adult system more effective? “The adult system is overworked, overcrowded, overwhelmed, and there is no evidence that it is more effective.” “Housing children in adult prisons is simply wrong” (Roush and Dunlap, Juveniles in adult prisons: A very bad idea). “Housing minors of any age with psychopaths is unethical, they will be preyed upon” (Humbert). “Kids in adult prisons are subject to abuse, sexual harassment, suicide and murder.” (qtd. in Hansen, Are the states

“Jail staff are simply not equipped to protect youth from the dangers in prison” (Berlatsky, Juveniles Should Not Be Placed in Adult Prisons). “Transferring the problem of the most serious juvenile offenders to an even more overwhelmed and less effective system makes no sense” (Roush and Dunlop). Does prison actually rehabilitate anyone adult or juveniles? I wish there was a way to actually answer that question, in some cases prison of any sort turns some around. In my opinion this is not the case with real criminals. That is the difference between a mistake and an actual crime. “Juvenile justice systems must balance the public mandates to dispense justice and to rehabilitate youths” (Wright, Tibbets, and Daigle, Criminals in the Making, 263). “Several studies have shown that incarcerated youths experience higher rates of depression, although the highest percentage being youths placed in adult incarceration facilities” (Y.H. NG et. al, Incarcerating juveniles in adult prisons as a factor in depression). Incarcerated adolescents with depression at 30.6% whereas only depressed non-incarcerated youths are at 4.1%. Arrested and detained youths in adult court show 16% are depressed whereas youths

That’s why we don’t permit 15-year-olds to drink, drive, vote or join the military” (qtd. in Billitteri). There is adolescent-development research according to Hambrick, J. and Ellem, J that has shown “children do not possess the same capacity as adults to think thru the consequences of their behaviors, control their responses or avoid peer pressure” (qtd. in Lyons). There are some very good points made in the argument against sentencing youth as adults but I still have a hard time agreeing with peer pressure or impulse control as a reason to be held in a juvenile center for less than a few years for murder. Ryan, L. uses the example of a report released by the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on “Juvenile Transfer Laws : An Effective Deterrent to Delinquency?” This report found that prosecuting youths as adults has little or no effect on juvenile crime.” She uses this information and backs it up with the report showing “youths prosecuted as adults are more likely to re-offend than youths handled in the juvenile justice system” (qtd. in Katel). This is definitely a new perspective, but I still stand with my first take on the subject. “We know young people can commit serious crimes, and the consequences are no less tragic” (qtd in