President Obama-bans-solitary-confinement-for-juveniles

I just heard that president Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons. I am of mixed opinions about this. I worked in corrections for 3 years and understand that a certain percentage of juvenile inmates are going to be mentally ill, as well as homicidal, or otherwise, in some way feral so I understand the need for the practice. I also understand that the institutionalization and dehumanization of these places more often than not creates the problem. Two things can happen in a facility, at some point the inmate stops trying to get better and resolves to create the biggest headache to the staff that they can accomplish, this can involve violence to staff and other inmates and can
escalate to homicidal urges. Or, an inmate can become mentally ill to the point of being unable to control their impulses and often become difficult to control and violent.

I see President Obama as addressing one side of the problem by letting them out and institutionally thats the way they are being directed to do. However by letting them out they may be creating victims of other inmates because these individuals may target them.

Also staff working in an uncontrollable environment will have a higher turnover rate so higher incidence of costs, mistakes, and accidents will occur.

Keep in mind if one of these people attack another inmate, chances are, in an uncontrolled environment, the staff will choose self preservation over the well being of the inmate. I would no longer want to work in one of these places, but I do understand and agree where President Obama is coming from. I don't think its going to make these places any nicer though.

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