Children behind bars
How does the justice system treat America’s youngest offenders?
Student detainees at the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center School on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, in Fairfax, VA. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
250,000 US minors are prosecuted and sentenced in the adult criminal justice system each year, according to a report from the Campaign for Youth Justice. Some 100,000 of those are placed in adult prisons. The report says progress has been made over the last eight years, with nearly half the states changing their laws to discourage placing minors through adult courts. But what about those left behind? We look at the future for children behind bars. Join the conversation at 1930GMT.
In this episode, we speak to:
Candice Odgers
Professor, Psychology & Public Policy
sites.duke.edu/adaptlab
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.