Sending juveniles to adult prison detrimental, unnecessary

Besides being attacked or drowning in the depths of the ocean, prison has always been one of my fears. Scenes on TV shows depicting inmate life — from the orange jumpsuits to the metal bars — hammer home the point that prison is not a desirable place.

For adult criminals, this intense facility is their “home” until their sentences end. Youth offenders convicted of serious crimes, such as murder, assault or robbery, are often also sentenced to these adult facilities.

Adult prison robs these teenagers of the opportunity to work their way back to making good decisions through rehabilitation and therapy. These facilities should be for adults only.

According to the National Institute of Justice, the human brain completes development at roughly age 25. One of the last areas to fully develop is the prefrontal cortex, which regulates decision-making and logic.

Thus, 15-year-olds may have adult-like bodies, but they do not have adult brains. With eight more years of cognitive development ahead of them, they are more likely to take risks and make poor decisions (which is why crime peaks in the late teens and declines thereafter). Those who condemn juveniles to a life sentence do not consider these children’s potential for reform in the future.

Although lack of brain development only partially explains teenage crime, it is still important to consider during the criminal justice process.

Since teenagers and children are still maturing, they will be more easily influenced by adult prison. Surrounded by negative and hostile adult prisoners, some offenders may become hardened into a career criminal or face other risks.

According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Bulletin, youths who transfer to the adult system are often at a greater risk of suicidal behavior since they are more likely to spend time in isolation in an adult facility. They are also more susceptible to psychological diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the conditions in adult prisons are too harsh for juveniles.

Of course, juvenile offenders still must face consequences for their crimes. To accommodate this, those who commit a crime serious enough should stay contained in separate juvenile facilities, isolated from non-serious youth offenders. Separate facilities for different levels of crime will be beneficial to the inmates, allowing the rehab and other activities to shape around their needs.

Combining  adults and youth in one prison unit does not help juveniles along their path to recovery; it just slows them down. Just think: These teenagers may have engaged in criminal activities, but if there is any hope for reform, they need support and mental health services in a proper environment.