http://www.juvenile-in-justice.com/?s=youth+stories

While reading several of these stories I noticed that the children speaking have at least one thing in common. That is that they are being punished instead of helped because they were brought up in horrible environments. These teens should not be incarcerated and labeled as psychotic for not knowing how to handle such harsh living conditions. One girl says “My PO and social worker don’t get it” and “My social workers say I’m psychotic, but I’m not”. When I hear this, it surprises me because one in my mind, social workers should understand that these are adolescents and that people who grow up under their circumstances are going to need help. I think that the social workers are psychotic for considering such unreal “diagnoses”.

The teens mention adults who try to help them, but can’t for reasons such as disabilities, drugs, or poverty. I just don’t get it.. the teenagers need families and stability; not jail. What the government is doing is putting them in less stable conditions which is only going to make the situations worse for them. Many of the teens are just angry and stability and actual attention would help. And it appears that all of the teenagers are either aware of what they have done, or know that what they have done should not have caused them to be where they are now. These are smart people, and they should not be bound to the inconsiderate laws of our system.