By now, you have probably heard about Kalief Browder. Kalief spent three years in Rikers Island, two of them in solitary confinement, before charges against him were eventually dropped. He was 16 years old. Reports indicate that he was assaulted by correctional officers on camera and denied mental health services. After his release, the depression and flashbacks caused by these experiences led Kalief to take his own life.
While his story is tragic, it is not unique. Youth placed in adult jails are oftentimes isolated for long periods without access to juvenile-specific education or treatment programs. His story speaks directly to why we need to address juvenile transfer laws and placing youth in adult jails.
As a former administrator of a state juvenile justice agency, I can tell you this is the type of story administrators hope never happens. We all strive to have practices in place that will ensure the safety and security of youth and staff in these facilities — including reducing the use of solitary confinement. Research and experience shows that placing youth in isolation is ineffective, harmful and leads to more aggressive behaviors as well as depression.
[For more of this story, written by Michael Dempsey, go to http://jjie.org/2017/04/26/we-...r-juvenile-facility/]
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