used and abused US teens

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010703849.html


Justice study tracks rape, sexual abuse of juvenile inmates


The Justice Department reported Thursday that 12 percent of incarcerated juveniles, or more than 3,200 young people, had been raped or sexually abused in the past year by fellow inmates or prison staff, quantifying for the first time a problem that has long troubled lawmakers and human rights advocates.

The report comes as those advocates say that the Obama administration is moving too slowly on reforms that would reduce rape in U.S. prisons and as corrections officials are pressing Justice to overhaul reform proposals it is reviewing.

Four former commissioners on a blue-ribbon prison rape panel that spent years studying the issue say they fear that authorities are deferring to concerns by corrections officials that reforms would cost too much, while not focusing enough on prison safety and the effects of abuse on inmates.

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The study by the department's Bureau of Justice Statistics reported a "very high rate of staff sexual misconduct" against juvenile inmates. It cited two facilities in Virginia and one in Maryland, among others.

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The report, based on surveys from 195 facilities in all 50 states and the District, is the first of its kind. Rates varied among the institutions, but at 13 detention facilities, nearly one out of three juveniles said they had been victims of some type of sexual abuse. National attention has turned increasingly to sexual assault within American prisons, which house more than 7 million inmates and cost $68 billion a year to operate. Other federal studies, which have been criticized by prison administrators, suggest that 60,500 adults are victims of rape or sexual misconduct in prisons each year.

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Lovisa Stannow, executive director of Just Detention International, which works to prevent prison sexual abuse, said the study reflecting that juveniles may be abused at three times the rate of adults underscores the need for quick action.
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americans so love their children

"quick" would be a miracle

I've been in the system (due to 2 teen sons) and know first hand that is a system set up for failure. Mine had under drinking charges, 2 years apart...I don't nor have I ever condoned underage drinking by the way, apparently my sons like most teens have minds of their own. I've learned that most kids (like mine) have parents that care and hold them accountable, make sure they stick to the probation rules, curfews, make sure they get to and from school/probation/court appts/community service, make them pay all court/probation costs etc, if falsely or harshly charged, they get them good legal representation to fight or lower the charges.

It’s the kids who parents don’t care or can't afford good legal representation,that are stuck in the system. Oh there are public defenders, however, they are overworked, understaffed, and underpaid, they will agree with whatever the prosecution says and off goes the kids. The kids can't argue because they were represented by legal counsel. Its these kids that end up rotating in and out of the juvenile system and eventually end up in the adult system. To no fault of their own, they were born to irresponsible self centered parents or have parents that are addicts and can’t even help themselves let alone their children.. The juvenile justice and foster care system is chock full of them. It’s very sad that minorities are the majority in juvenile detention centers. They were victims in their homes, in society and in the system. Most of them never had a chance from the get go.