SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Incarceration and Violence continue to impact young people, mainly young people from communities of color. In the United States, no child is immune to violence, boys and girls experience violence in many forms as victims, offenders or witnesses. For many, this also takes place while in a short-term juvenile detention facility or incarcerated. There are various types of violence (bullying, child sex trafficking, dating violence, state sponsored violence, domestic violence & child abuse, gun violence, school shootings, suicide & self-harm) and incarceration contributes in many ways.
According to Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS), over 170,000 young people in the US are held in short-term juvenile detention facilities or incarcerated in long-term juvenile correctional facilities. Many more are in community-based residential and day treatment or alternative education settings like ATI’s (alternative to Incarceration). Many of these young people lack basic academic, social, and problem-solving skills, and have histories of physical, sexual, and substance abuse. When they become incarcerated, they enter a world of even greater intolerance and a focus on security that overrides their need for treatment and positive growth experiences.
The impact of youth violence can last long after the acute trauma and negatively affect long-term outcomes related to school, health and success in life. These problems are making it harder for them to navigate pass these cycles and stand as leaders in their community, education and the judicial system. Read more...
