There are many shows that show how life is behind the bar. However, most of them only feature the life of adults and not so much about children. As someone who is interested in this kind of thing, you may want to know what life in a juvenile detention center or juvie looks like. So, what is juvie like?
Juvie has some public spaces where inmates can share with each other, just like in an adult prison. Aside from that, there are also some private spaces. One of the examples of private spaces is cells. Cells are described as small locked rooms where inmates can live and sleep in. They can only be accessed by the inmates in addition to youth detention center staff.
In case you are wondering if the inmates are placed in a cell by themselves, some of them actually do, while some others have to share between two or more. There are several factors that determine the inmates to have their own cell. One of them is the size of the juvie. The inmates usually share a cell in smaller juvies with cells. This kind of thing usually happens in older juvie. Besides, one of the most common factors that is considered is the crime that they have committed and whether they can harm others. Those who have a high chance of committing more violent or sexual crimes are usually placed differently.
Talking about cells, they are pretty basic. Each inmate usually gets a single bed. So, if a cell is inhabited by an inmate, it means there will be a single bed and if a cell is inhabited by two inmates, the beds will be two, and so on. As you can guess, the beds are usually not the most comfortable. Most of them face the wall so that they cannot be thrown around. In a cell, there is a bathroom, so there is no need for the inmates to leave their cell to do their business.
In some juvie, inmates are allowed to take a few things with them inside. However, it depends on the juvie itself and their behavior. If they behave well, they will be able to earn more rewards and, therefore, have more things in their cells.
What about the foods? If you have someone that is close to you in a juvie, you don’t have to worry about the food as the food that is served in this facility is adequate. Usually, inmates have three meals a day. As for three meals a day, it will vary depending on the juvie. While they will not be fancy, they are good. Unfortunately, those who have any specific dietary requirements due to allergies or religious beliefs will not have much choice.
Now that you have already found out about cells and foods, you may want to know about mobile phones and social media. So, are inmates allowed to use mobile phones and to access social media just like the ones living outside?
Unlike children from the outside, children in juvie cannot use mobile phones and social media as they are banned. If they are found to access either of these two, they will get punished. This rule is applied to make them learn that they are not at home and they are being punished. Using phones and getting access to social media will not help them with their rehabilitation. They may contact the people that they are getting into trouble with. To make them better people, there should be a rule to make them stay away from these people. Not only that, both mobile phones and social media are banned to prevent inmates contacting other inmates and planning attacks and other negative behavior. If they are allowed to access these two, they can also plan an escape.
While mobile phones and social media are not allowed, it does not mean they are not given a chance to keep in touch with their family members or friends. If they want to contact them, instead of using mobile phones or through social media, they can use the main shared phones that can be used at certain times.
Are there some similarities between juvie and adult prison? As stated earlier, life in juvie is similar to life in an adult prison. It means they share some similarities. Just like in adult prisons, juvies are also strict. Just because juvie is for children offenders does not mean it is less strict. These children are still expected to behave in the same manner that it is hoped that adult ones do. If they break rules, they will get punished.
In juvie, a locked door policy is also applied. At certain times of day, the doors of the cells will be locked and inmates will not be able to leave their place. Depending on the kind of center that they live in and the crimes that they commit, how many hours they need to be confined to their cells can vary. Usually, they will only be allowed to go out at certain times a day, including meal times where they often sit in a room to enjoy the meal together.
As a place where those who have committed crimes gather, juvie is known to be chaotic. Violence is a common thing. It has a high tension. Usually, inmates also form gangs. If there is a conflict, sometimes it can lead to death. To minimize the chaos, they are usually placed differently.
While both juvie and adult prisons are similar, they also have some differences. One of the things that sets juvie from an adult prison is the method applied there. Basically, the methods used on a 12-year old would not be effective on a 40-year old. Unlike adult prison, juvie focuses on education. As most residents are at the school age, they still need an education. If they don’t get an education, they will have a hard time finding a job after their release, increasing the chance of them committing a crime again.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
