NYT: New York Youth Prison System in Crisis
The lead in the New York Times article says it all:
New York’s system of juvenile prisons is broken, with young people battling mental illness or addiction held alongside violent offenders in abysmal facilities where they receive little counseling, can be physically abused and rarely get even a basic education, according to a report by a state panel.
Of course, this is nothing new. Youth Today has covered some of New York’s juvenile justice problems; Time has also weighed in, along with Human Rights Watch.
New York’s problems are certainly not isolated. Just today, The Washington Post editorializes on the need to pass an updated federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to encourage systematic reform nationwide.