sunkissed
02-19-2004, 02:26 PM
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-
wiggins18.2feb18,1,6253718.story?coll=la-news-comment-letters
Juveniles Shouldn't Be Detained With Adults
February 18, 2004
The deaths of two children found hanging in their cells at the Preston
Youth Correctional Facility in January provide another reason for
public outrage at a juvenile justice system that is designed only to
punish young offenders without also rehabilitating them.
Worst of all is the current trend toward trying children in adult
courts and housing them in adult facilities, where they are eight times
more likely to attempt suicide.
At Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, nine children still
remain locked in their cells for up to 231⁄2 hours at a stretch,
despite a unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors to relocate
the children and even though a parallel California Youth Authority
facility has been constructed and staffed to accommodate the Men's
Central juveniles.
The Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff's Department must fulfill
their promise to close Men's Central Jail to juveniles immediately
before any more lives are lost to suicide or missed opportunities to
educate and rehabilitate.
Michael Bochenek
Counsel, Children's Rights
Division of Human Rights Watch, New York
Javier Stauring
Co-Director of Detention
Ministries, Archdiocese
of Los Angeles
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times
wiggins18.2feb18,1,6253718.story?coll=la-news-comment-letters
Juveniles Shouldn't Be Detained With Adults
February 18, 2004
The deaths of two children found hanging in their cells at the Preston
Youth Correctional Facility in January provide another reason for
public outrage at a juvenile justice system that is designed only to
punish young offenders without also rehabilitating them.
Worst of all is the current trend toward trying children in adult
courts and housing them in adult facilities, where they are eight times
more likely to attempt suicide.
At Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, nine children still
remain locked in their cells for up to 231⁄2 hours at a stretch,
despite a unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors to relocate
the children and even though a parallel California Youth Authority
facility has been constructed and staffed to accommodate the Men's
Central juveniles.
The Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff's Department must fulfill
their promise to close Men's Central Jail to juveniles immediately
before any more lives are lost to suicide or missed opportunities to
educate and rehabilitate.
Michael Bochenek
Counsel, Children's Rights
Division of Human Rights Watch, New York
Javier Stauring
Co-Director of Detention
Ministries, Archdiocese
of Los Angeles
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times