Rates of Youth Incarceration in Adult Prisons: Understanding Policy, Trends, and Implications
Overview
This paper examines youth incarceration in adult correctional facilities across the United States, defining key concepts such as youth incarceration and the juvenile justice system. It analyzes historical trends showing dramatic increases from 1990-1999 followed by subsequent declines, and discusses varying state policies regarding the prosecution of minors as adults.
What this essay covers
- Definitions of youth incarceration and related terminology including the Juvenile Justice System and juvenile delinquency
- Historical trends and statistical data showing youth incarceration rates in adult facilities from 1990 to 2016
- State policies and legal frameworks governing prosecution of youths as adults, including automatic prosecution and 'once an adult, always an adult' policies
- Analysis of declining incarceration rates and potential causes such as reduced youth crime engagement
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Subject: Rates Youth Incarceration in Adult Prisons
Definitions
[Extended] – Youth Incarceration
Youth incarceration refers to the imprisonment of people of underage. The youth may be detained while awaiting trial or committed for a particular period as they wait for a long-term care program. The number of youths being incarcerated in adult jails instead of juvenile detention centers has increased over the years (Troilo). The Prison Policy Initiative (PPI) reported that at least one in every ten detained youths are incarcerated in adult facilities. In certain states across the United States, youth aged seventeen years are automatically prosecuted as adults. It has also been noted that certain crimes automatically qualify for adult prosecution, and other states give courts discretion to either prosecute youths as adults or juveniles. Other states have policies “once an adult, always an adult policy.” These policies were framed to ensure that individuals under the age of eighteen with a previous prosecution as an adult will be treated like an adult in their future cases. When youths are prosecuted under the Juvenile Justice System, they can get chances to undergo community-based rehabilitation programs or stay in juvenile detention centers (Troilo).
[Sentence] – Juvenile Justice System
According to Patterson, Juvenile Justice System is a reflection of the adult criminal justice system, with the distinguishing features based on the age of the youth, which varies based on the laws applicable in a certain area (Patterson).