Topic > Sentencing Young Offenders to Adult Prison

Each year, the number of juvenile offenders who are convicted and placed in the adult prison system is incredibly high. Personally I don't think this brings any benefit. It is claimed that young men and women who are sent to adult prisons not only lack education but also face physical danger on a daily basis. This in itself can lead to huge problems. An example of one of these problems would be committing a crime again upon release. It so often happens that criminals, once released, return to the old habits that landed them in prison in the first place. Not only are no skills introduced that could benefit them externally, but most of the time no one wants to welcome these individuals due to their sick nature. For this reason these individuals return to the same worrying group of friends. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There are numerous laws in the United States; which supposedly guarantee every single minor the right to have an education. These laws, however, are not respected. In 2005, a survey of adult prisons was conducted and it was found that approximately 40% of these prisons had no educational programs. This in itself is an outrage! Even though many individuals who enter prison have no future in getting out, wouldn't it be practical to introduce shorter-term offenders to skills that could benefit them on their way out? After all, aren't prisons becoming overcrowded? The last thing we want is for the same people to come back again and again because they had no other path to take than the dark one. Presenting inmates with only certain basic skills would be more beneficial than what is normally afforded. Some of these skills may include cooking, cleaning, and basic educational subjects such as math, reading, and writing. Another good skill to learn would be how to pay bills and pay taxes, or since these people are minors and most likely unsure how to operate motor vehicles, perhaps provide drivers education programs! Any of these options would be much more ideal than simply throwing them in a cell 23 hours a day. The process of placing juveniles in adult prisons is a long road filled with many obstacles. The first step towards conviction is taking them to court. Awaiting trial; however, most of these individuals will spend approximately a full month in an adult prison. It is claimed that only 1 in 5 convicts will have spent up to 6 full months in an adult prison before going to court. To me this is impractical because the individual has not yet been tried as an adult; therefore they should not be locked up in an adult prison. Due to the differences in physical stature, testosterone, and knowledge between adults and young adolescents, this can be a very dangerous path for these young men and women. One of the biggest problems they face is being abused or sexually assaulted. According to a study by the "National Prison Rape Elimination Commission", among the entire prison population, minors are those most at risk of suffering sexual assaults and violence. It is also stated by the “Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003” that within the first 48 hours of entering the system most young offenders will be sexually victimized. One would think that even if these individuals were tried as adults, there would be some sort of accommodation. Maybe have more security in the areas where minors are held. Another good solution would be to separate.