Minnesota’s former Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz has stated that 90% of the youth in the Juvenile Justice system have passed through Child Protective Services and that “The difference between that poor child and a felon is about eight years”.
Marion Wright Edelman (Children’s Defense Fund) calls this the “pipeline to prison” & from this volunteer CASA guardian ad Litems perspective it is absolutely true.
No other industrialized nation treats its children and juveniles so harshly. Our juvenile incarceration rates are over ten times higher than other industrialized nations.
America has 2.7 million children with incarcerated parents today.
We have 2.3 million incarcerated adults with another 5 to 6 million people under correctional control on parole on any given day impacting communities disproportionately.
The simple truths below now define our communities and our nation – share them with your legislators (really – if you don’t share this with them they may never know).
9 to 10 million Americans released from prisons and jails each year
Privatized Detention Centers (why judges sometimes go to jail)
Rikers Island (the beatings will continue until the morale improves)
Women In Prison (shackled while giving birth?)
The Face of 12 Year Olds In Jail
Prozac, Children, Juveniles & the Criminal Justice System
Is This A Racial Issue (Minneapolis arrested 44% of its Adult Black Men in 2001)
