Adult Prisons: The Cause Of Juvenile Crimes

Growing up can be a difficult time for any child, especially when going through their adolescent years. The people around them, such as their parents, relatives, siblings, friends, teachers, neighbors, or people they know or are acquainted withee3 and whatever they watch on television, hear on the radio, or see on the internet can influence them tremendously on the way they see their lives and the actions they wish to take. The youth of our generation tend to want to rebel against their parents or guardians and want to act “independent” and feel like they are old enough to make choices on their own by committing regrettable mistakes and doing the exact opposite of what their parents tell them to do or not to do. All these trademarks are what lead kids down a wrong path through their life, therefore leading some children to begin the path of becoming drug dealers and/or addicts, alcoholics, gang members, thieves, rapists, or murderers, which leads them to be caught by the authorities and be sent to adult prisons with people who are far more dangerous than they ever were. More and more of our kids and teenagers are
In 2014, an estimated 4,200 juveniles under the age of 18 were convicted and housed in adult jails in the United States. Since 1999, when the incarcerated juvenile rate was at its peak at nearly 9500, the youth rate in adult prisons has fallen nearly half of what it was at around 4200 for crimes that these minors were convicted for as adults. With 2014 being the lowest year since 2000, there are only well over 1000 convicts under 18 years old that are held in state prisons and only 3-4% of those 1000 in state prisons are female. Though many may see these numbers as a success, it is a goal to prevent any child or adolescent from becoming influenced to commit a crime that will have them locked up in adult prisons with the true