Eating Our Children
A new report from the Justice Policy Institute says many states are exploiting a loophole in federal law in order to incarcerate minors in adult prisons, either alongside adult prisoners (which creates obvious problems) or in isolation (which frequently leads to emotional problems, depression, and suicide). The vast majority are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses, and many are tossed in adult jails before they're even tried (while they're awaiting trial).
The report estimates 200,000 or more children are currently in adult jails and prisons. It's a fine way to help a young, nonviolent offender grow up to become a violent one.
Headline comes from Lou Dobbs, who's been using the strange phrase in his continuing(ly awful) series on addiction in America. Thing is, the drug war does far more to ruin young lives than drugs do.
