Policy Director Gabriella Celeste shared a powerful opinion piece on cleveland.com about the terrible outcomes experienced by housing juveniles in adult prisons and jails. "A report released last month by the Children's Law Center shines light on Ohio's practice of putting more than 300 young people in the adult criminal justice system each year," she explained.
"Compared with youth in juvenile correctional facilities, youth in adult prisons are eight times more likely to commit suicide, five times more likely to be sexually assaulted and almost twice as likely to be attacked with a weapon by inmates or beaten by staff. Youth in adult jails -- where youth are often held before they are moved into prisons -- fare even worse, with estimated suicide rates 36 times that of juvenile facilities. Not only are they at greater physical risk, but extended periods of isolation take a toll on their mental health."