Of all the things not working in America today, our punishment model is running smoothly.
It’s creating exactly what some of us must want; crime, violence, teen and preteen moms, extraordinary social and financial costs and a reputation for punishing the most vulnerable and damaged among us.
It is not a small thing to expel a child from daycare or elementary school.
Most expelled youth have suffered severe traumas in their birth homes. The mental marks trauma, more punishment and expulsion have on a young person can last a lifetime.
You do not belong. You are different and you need to be punished.
Many abused girls become teen and preteen moms and young boys become incarcerated. America charges more juveniles as adults than any other industrialized nation. The Supreme Court has just ruled that juveniles can be incarcerated for their entire life.
Abused girls that prostitute themselves are often charged and incarcerated.
Once a youth is in the system, it’s rare that they ever leave it. America’s prison recidivism rate at 9 years is near 90%.
America expels and incarcerates more children and youth than any other industrialized nation (for decades now).
When we are not expelling, we often medicate. Between 1/3 and ½ of America’s foster children are put onto psychotropic medications. In the juvenile justice system psychotropic medicating of youth is between 50 and 60%.
Prozac, Ritalin (a cocaine derivative), Xanax etc) have become the less expensive go to replacement for programs and therapies that do work.
It’s true that these drugs can keep youth from hurting themselves and others – but then there is the suicidal ideation warning on every package of the stuff and the stupefying effects of the drugs.
Almost no data is kept on youth self-harm in America. There is no information available on failed youth suicide for children under ten in America. The data that does exist suggests it takes 200 attempts for each successful child suicide.
Cutting, preteen sex and prostitution, suicide attempts and extremely dangerous lifestyles are common in child protective services.
KARA reports on the issues of child abuse.
This article submitted by CASA volunteer Mike Tikkanen
All Adults Are The Protectors of All Children
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