Juveniles in Jail

* While I’m sure that many applaud the fact that more juveniles are being tried as adults (Nov. 30), as the executive director of one of the largest and oldest private agencies that deal with juvenile offenders I must take the opposing point of view. The Child Welfare League of America points out that states that have already enacted such legislation have not demonstrated the results hoped for, and in fact have harmful results.

A University of Illinois study reveals that children in adult facilities are eight times more likely to commit suicide than those in juvenile facilities. The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, in tracking Minnesota’s Prop. 21 equivalent, has determined that 58% of the youths dealt with in the adult system commit another crime within two years, compared with 42% of those who stayed in juvenile detention.

CWLA points out that compared with youths confined in juvenile facilities, young people housed in adult facilities are five time more likely to be sexually assaulted, twice as likely to be beaten by staff and 50% more likely to be attacked with a weapon. Is this what we want for our young people in the name of justice? I think not. Hopefully L.A.’s new district attorney will think more than twice before remanding juveniles to the adult court system.

SILVIO JOHN ORLANDO

Optimist Youth Homes and Family

Services, Los Angeles