There are youth immigrants being held in detention centers and while they are in the detention centers, the youths are not treated fairly like the youths should be treated. The detention center in Peoria was opened in 1999.There is an estimated 13,000 youth immigrants being held in youth detention centers. Many or the vast majority of the youth immigrants in the detention centers have little to no protection from the criminal justice system. This means that the youth immigrants are at the mercy of the criminal justice system. While being held in the detention centers with minor offenses, the youth immigrant detention centers are able to use that as an excuse to forcibly medicate the children in the center. Kids or youths are being held are dangerous, they are not able to be released from custody. Also, there is no criteria for the detention centers to deem them “dangerous”. There needs to be more centers like these in Illinois. Today there are only 16. The activities and way things are carried out in these juvenile detention centers are the way that a lot of places need to treat juveniles. Many of the youths released were deported to El Salvador where they regrouped to create a drug cartel, and are responsible for the highest homicide rates in Latin America, in turn this has created new branches in the united States of America. Many of the youths are being stereotyped as recruits or members of the notorious Central American MS-13 gang, in the same way that US juvenile offenders were labeled as merciless killers following several high profile crimes. Many youths are being treated as adults in these detention centers. Most of the youths are held there without even knowing what they are being charged or held there for. I personally do not feel like we need to have these detention centers. Even though the United States of America is really trying to crack down on immigrants, children are children no matter where you are from and need to be treated fairly. All in all there should be a different program for these children. -crispychicken711
It is crazy that 13,000 immigrant youths are being held in a place that is comparable to communist East Germany. And that under the new Administration it will only get worse for these undocumented children. These undocumented children are being held up in these shady places for months and even years. These children should not be in these types of places, their developing minds might end up turning to the life of crime. In 2014 the influx of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Latin America has grown 12 times over in a 10 year period. Couple that with the 60,000 Central American children that are leaving their country because of safety issues it will have a bad impact on these children. What is even worse these children are being forcibly medicated because of Minor behavior problems. That is absurd that our government would allow such a thing to happen. These are just kids looking for a better life instead they have to life in a shadowy detention center and if they act out they could be but on medication to stop it. These problems are being pushed because these children are being falsely accused of being a danger to the safety of American Citizens. When these children turn 18 they are sent to a more secure facility such a facilities that hold criminals who did violent crimes. These juveniles have fewer rights than juveniles that have U.S. citizenship, most of the time information is not shared with families or even the public. Some of these kids are taken away and sent to court, they are not released if they are deemed dangerous and there is no criteria for how they deemed these children to be dangerous. These issues were brought up by the murders from a gang called the MS-13. These gang members are the children of refugees from El Salvador. They were deported back to the homelands of the parents, they created a new group which caused the highest murder rate in Latin America and made branches that operate in the US. Things need to change so that these immigrants can become US citizens and become a productive member of society. Maybe if they can make a living they and their children won’t turn to a life a crime and keep fellow Americans safe. -ClarkKent711
In this article, in the first couple paragraphs it talks about how the government is preparing for mass incarceration in children. Yes, kids have gotten more brave about the rules that they break and the illegal things they do without their parents. More and more parents are doing less of parenting and more of letting kids roam the streets at night causing trouble. This then leads to kids getting caught up in the wrong crowd and ending up getting in trouble with law enforcers. Their parents are either working multiple jobs trying to put food on the table and a roof over their head and therefore, are never home to take care of their kids and parent them properly so they don’t end up in the wrong crowd and end up in Juvenile Detention Center. According to Angie Junck,”the deep poverty and gang violence tearing through Central America sent some 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the U.S. in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years.” This is very scary considering they only think this number is going to get higher and higher throughout the years. Many immigrants have also ended up in our Juvenile Detention Center because they cross into our lines nad get busted. This is happening more and more because they want to come over to the United States to sell drugs or even promote sex trafficking. Many people like therapists, ask kids in the Juvenile Detention Center what they were thinking and try to get information from them about their crimes. So in the future, we know how to prevent kids from committing crimes and ending up in the Juvenile Detention Center. But then we run into the issue that kids and people are being stereotyped because they are not the same decent or ethnicity as the normal American person. This then leads to America having a bad connotation and other countries not liking us because of the bad connotation. Kids are also starting to be targeted in schools because of gang related activity and getting called out. Before mass incarceration gets too out of hand, they need to figure out the root of the problem so they can avoid mass incarceration in the Juvenile Detention Center. ProbdrinkingStar$’s711
In the article it basically it talking about how the government is going to start a mass incarceration for youth. May not be a bad idea only because most of the crimes or some of the crimes that are being committed is by kids. I feel like parents pay a big role in it as well because some parents check up on their child or even see their child. I understand that some parents work or you know do anything it takes to help their home and have a roof over their heads but, it only will take 10 minutes out of your day to talk to your child. Lately kids have been really brave about breaking the laws or rules. such as shooting schools and killing young kids or beating them to death. I don’t know if this was gang related but a 15-year-old boy just got stabbed to death in his town in front of a store. It looks like it may have been teens that where doing it and no one seemed to help because there were people walking about looking and kelp walking past. That little boy didn’t get justice for what happen to him and same for the kids that got shot when they were in school. I feel like the race difference plays a lot as well because a white male shot of a school and killed a lot of people and didn’t get sentenced to life which is not justice at all. The kids that do serous crime should serve their sentence in a mass incarceration. I feel like today generation kids start to make their own type of gangs and do bad things. Gangs plays a big role now in multiple crimes because if you look deep in it after one gang member in one gang gets killed, a couple days later the other gang member in the other gang gets murdered also. The law enforcement just have to make a smart decision and think whats best to do with these kids that are committing serious crimes.-babyblue711
I think it is absolutely crazy to think that there are 13,000 young people who are being held in immigrant youth detention centers around to US but also that it is also being compared to communist East Germany. The fact that they are not being treated to right way. I understand that they are undocumented youth immigrants but being held for a time period ranging from one month to possibly a year is crazy but also that this problem will most likely only get worse for. I think that it is sad that families illegally send their kids or other family member here to the US to give them a better life or to help keep them out and away from the gangs. the deep poverty and gang violence tearing through Central America sent some 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the U.S. But the fact that “in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years.” this is so crazy and crazy to think about this number but also that the number is going to get higher. When the article stated “There they languish, often without knowing the charges against them, in homes that are on lockdown with “caged play areas,” forced to take anti-psychotic medication if they demonstrate behavior problems and, when they turn 18, are taken to even more secure facilities holding those convicted of violent crimes.” It was so sad to hear that’s how they are living and they only have a “caged” play area. The article also states that “Information is rarely shared with families or the public, with the youths having fewer rights than juveniles with U.S. citizenship.” I know that my parents and family would freak if they weren’t being told any information. Because obviously a parent especially a mom will do anything and everything it takes to get information or even to get their kid kid back. I feel as if another problem is that “Kids end up in quicksand,” Austin said. “They say the kids can’t be released if they are dangerous and there’s no criteria for how they are deemed ‘dangerous.’” I feel as though this can be a huge problem because they don’t have proper scoring to determine if they are “dangerous” and then it is harder to release them so we are bringing in more kids faster than we can release. -mmmChicken711
This article opened up an entire new prospective for me to consider regarding youth detention. This topic, more often than not is highly neglected in the public, but yet, it is as prevalent as other major tops within the criminal justice system. I hadn’t considered immigrant youths, their rights and processes that take place in the criminal justice system. Through this article I had a greater understanding of this issue. One of the first things the article revealed was an estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the United States. I am surprised with the amount of youths in the detention center. I wonder how fair the system is for that number to be that high. I also wonder if our own children were placed in the same crime if the out come would be any different from those of immigrant youths. I would surely hope not, however, it is something to consider. Another aspect I noticed in the article, was that behavior problems are being used as excuses to forcibly medicate immigrant children. I have two thoughts on this. The first, wow; this is actually happening in the United States. That is simply ridiculous. Then my second thought is, well it’s not very surprising we medicate youth citizens using the same excuse of bad behavior. I think either approach to this is wrong. I feel strongly that we as a country should reframe from medicating youths for bad behavior in general let alone immigrate youths. There is a much better way around this issue. I don’t think medicating is the answer for fixing bad behavior. The worst thing about this issue is that these immigrate youths do not have a constant set of rights. Without solid rights, it makes this entire issue even murkier, without rights they are truly treated unfairly. This is highly unprofessional for the Criminal Justice system. The inconsistency of rights for the immigrant youths will hurt our country as a whole if they are not corrected soon. This is an issue worth investing in, so many lives would greatly benefit from a set of consistent rights. -Coalroller711
I think it is crazy that there are 13,000 kids stuck in the immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S. I never thought that there were this many kids just stuck with nowhere to go and it's just going to grow because trump is cracking down. I also thinks it's crazy how information isn't shared with the families or to the public. This is just starting to sound in humane like not only are these people they are just kids. This reminds me of a show the fosters in it one of the kids gets harassed be “ice”,immigration and in this it shows how the family is torn apart and how no one knows where everyone is at and the are just as normal as you or me just from a different place not doing anything bad just living everyday lives. And how much trouble they have to go through and the heart break, not even considering being stuck at a place where they can literally do whatever. I think that there should be more rules and regulations especially because these are kids and we should be taking percassions and trying to help those in need not just turning them away every chance we get. I never really gave immigration much thought let alone the youth that are involved because you never hear anyone talk about it. I never knew that it was this bad and that there are so many kids stuck in quicksand as the article says. I think we should take a different approach when dealing with kids and families it doesn't feel right and it makes us seem cruel and inhuman to just rip families apart like its nothing. -pizza711
I think the detention centers are great. If children in this day and age are breaking the laws and growing up in a bad enviroment, we need to teach them that there are consequences for these kinds of actions. I do agree that kids should be treated fairly in these circumstances though. With the Peoria JDC I like what they are doing. With their system and how the kids can get rewards for doing right. I think it would be great if the whole country could get behind a strategy or similar system. I don't agree with the medicine issue though. Sometimes the kids do not need to be highly medicated for bad behavior or out of control behavior. Just put the kids in confinement for an hour or two, let them calm down. If it does not change we can find solutions to that, but I don't think the medication is the answer. Have we ever thought about just sending these kids home though? Instead of holding them here in the US and wasting the money to hold them here. I think it is just unnecessary. That's just my opinion though. But if we need to keep them, that is my stance on it. Treat them humanely. -Bearsfan98
13,000, that is a huge number of people, and the fact that they are kids or teenagers is astonishing. I personally don't believe in open borders, and I think we should force immigration laws, but I think we should just send the immigrants right back to where they came from instead of holding them for periods of time. I do not really see a point in youth detention centers. I bet they are expensive, they make America look bad, with the amount of abuse allegations, and they are just in humane is general. Just sent the immigrants back to where they came from. I also think incarceration of these youth immigrants is pointless. Why would we need to spend money on them, and let them sit in jail. It's a waste of money, that we could be using towards something else. I realize that there is a lot of violence tearing through central America, but I think instead of holding these children, we as America could go and support Central America countries. If we just let these immigrants come in without deporting them, they are gonna bring more poverty, more crime, and waste money. This article also takes an account for the undocumented immigrants currently in America. I would like to see a rough statistic of immigrants who get through the border. Immigrant youth detention centers, are overpopulated, when they do not even need to be a thing. Sure a I think a holding center for youth immigrants, is necessary for temporary holding, they do not need to be held for months or years. Holding these youths, will also create problems for the youth themselves. I think it's very unhealthy for the youths in those detention centers. I think malnourishment is very high it seems the youths, aren't treated as a normal human beings. Sure I think th youths are trying to get away from the gang violence, but I do not see why they cannot just do it legally. I know it's hard to become a legal citizen, or get here on a green card. I think youth detention centers for immigrants is no needed, and not right. I-Like-Cereal-711
While I was reading this article it did upset me how it is true that we treat immigrated children pretty awful especially if, hypothetically, a father and mother from another country got into the U.S. Illegally they get put into a detention center and treated horribly than juveniles that have US citizenship. I understand that some kids do understand the risks of entering the country illegally but keeping them here and then punishing them to the full extent and when they turn 18 have them taken to more secure facilities and have them roomed with people of violent crimes. Like yes, they shouldn't have entered the country illegally but it doesn't mean treat them like they are the worst people in the world. I know a lot of people don't agree with trump about a lot of things but why was he involved in this, I understand the policies that he shares will have an effect but it's not all him to blame, Abuse can come from anyone and anywhere. Yes, I think that since Trump has been more aggressive on immigration that we will have more people get in trouble because they enter illegally but what about those that came in legally and still get treated terribly it's just not right. Reading in the article they mention the "MS-13" gang that people are involved in Latin American people were being pursued as members of this gang and when some and maybe most of them aren't but I understand officers point of view and I also don't in the sense that I see the officers because you can't trust anyone because you are there to protect the streets and, based on what I read and what they have done the "MS-13" gang doesn't seem very friendly, the "MS-13" Gang is a big portion they have to be cautious of everyone around them, from the other point of view tho is that most Gang members can usually be identified just by the people they hang out with and the things they say or do, so officers should be able to catch on to the actions or hints right away, granite you cannot catch them all because no matter in a perfect world there is no way you would be able to get rid of all crime. Now the thing I don't understand is why does everyone seem to blame trump for things happening in this country because no matter who was in office, or at least I believe, the results would be similar. -z33 711
I was surprised when it said that there is around 13,000 youths being held at immigrant youth detention centers in the United States. If they are actually causing trouble and going down the wrong path, I am okay with them being there. If the detention center is not treating them right or the teenager is innocent, I have problem with that. If an adolescent has a small behavior problem, they automatically medicate the adolescent. It seems like they don't really have rights. I think a small behavior problem does not always require medication. Medication dose weird things and it can make the small problem into a big problem. I thought it was sad when I read that East Germany used mental health to detain children. If the child has a mental health issue, they should be sent somewhere that’s going to help them. Not every child is dangerous. We have portrayed an image that makes the people in the United States believe that youth immigrants are dangerous and after I heard that it blows my mind because we have children in the United States that are dangerous. Not ever kid that comes to this country is dangerous. People try to come into the United States so that they can have a better life. I believe that they should come into the United States legally. Forcing the youth immigrants to be on lockdown and take anti-psychotic medication if there is behavior problem, that’s not right. If they have been proven to be dangerous, then I think it’s okay to keep them in the detention center. I did not know about the gang called MS-13. This gang is very dangerous and I can see why we are being very cautious on this because they have had murders that have happened and the United States believe that members from that gang are behind it. That’s scary because you don't really know who is apart of that gang. I’m kind of on the fence about this. If they come to this country legally and they’re not dangerous, I don't think that’s a problem. If they try to come to this country illegally right off the bat, I think that’s a problem. -Soccer31711
There are many youth immigrants in detention centers that are being treated poorly and unfairly. According to the article “An estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S.” That is a lot of youth that are being mistreated when they should not be. With the new administration it will be getting worse for these children in the detention centers. A lot of the youth immigrants have very small to no protection while in these detention centers. These immigrants are being held for years before they are able to get out. Youth should not be going through things like this. They are young and should be just having fun. Instead they are being put in shadowy and dark rooms. If they do something minor they are being medicated for it. They are not able to say no to this which I think is wrong. They should not be able to medicate a child without their permission let alone without their parents permission. They are still young and this happening to them they are probably traumatized. Some children may come out of the detention center with medical problems,depression,anxiety or some sort of issue. The article states “Adults representing themselves as therapists question the children about their backgrounds in order to extract information to be passed along and used against them.” I think this is so cruel to do to young kids, well anyone in general. If they have problems or issues going on in their life it should not be used against them. This could also give the children trust issues because they tell the therapist things because they trust them. But then they turn on the children and tell their information to their people. Which some of the kids probably don't realize thats whats going on so they keep telling the therapist more and more. Therefore, I think there should be a different program these children can attend and not be treated so poorly. -ny711
One of the first things I found that stood out in reading this article was the astonishing rate at which our immigrant youth detention centers have grown. In the article, it states that “the number of youths at immigrant youth detention centers has grown twelve-fold over a 10- year period.” It seems, at this point from everything we’ve done so far this semester, that pretty much every area and aspect of our correctional system has significantly boomed in population since the 1980’s to now. Something I found in the article that I found rather sickening was that according to Cohen and some other panelists, was that there are a plethora of adults “representing” themselves as therapists in order to obtain information from the juveniles being held in order to use it against them at a later time. Some simply minor behavior problems have been, again according to Cohen and some other panelists, “used as an excuse to diagnose and then forcibly medicate immigrant children held in the detention centers.” Upon reading these couple of charges made by Cohen and his panelists, there is no other way for me to put it other than it just sickens and shocks me to hear this is currently going on in our country. Generally, Americans think of their country as the land of the free and where democracy reigns- but where is the freedom and democracy for these unjustly held juveniles? The article relates some of our current practices to that of East Germany, often known for their cruel and unjust acts in the past- definitely not someone we want to be compared to. The next sickening thing I discovered about the immigrant youth detention facilities/processes in our country was that of how we use unsupported gang allegations/accusations to detain said accused youths. Often they are sent to nonprofit organizations, in which they are usually held, not even knowing the charges against them, until they turn 18 and are sent to an even more secure location to be held even longer. At these nonprofit organizations, the kids are subject to “playing” in caged play areas, and are forced to take antipsychotic medication if they display any signs of even minor behavioral problems. This just isn’t right and isn’t apart of the great freedom America promises and typically provides- in my opinion something absolutely needs to be done about this, and soon. GMan219711
The youth immigrants in detention centers really startled me because I had no clue some of these things were going on. I have just been thinking that they are arresting illegal youths and locking them up and treating them as if they are American juveniles. What is happening in some these youth immigrant facilities is just immoral and something needs to change. I had no idea that the Trump administration is enforcing policies that were made and then discredited in the eighties and nineties. These kids they are taking and locking up are part of the MS-13 gang but they are treating them as if they are and are using that as an excuse to arrest them. That’s not law or justice that’s simply prejudice and racism. A kid is not a gang member just because he or she is Central American or Mexican. SRO officers in schools are now able to ‘Identify” potential terrorist and illegals in schools now? Mo they are not trained to do anything of that nature they are school resource officers there to keep kids in order at school. I know the SRO’s I had in high school were definitely not trained in identifying individuals and nor would I trust them to do so. I do agree with a lot of immigration policies and do believe in coming to the U.S. “the right way” but not to the extent of mistreated people and punishing people for something they have had nothing to do with and haven’t been around. Everyone deserves a chance. -RickyBobby711
Across the United States, about 13,000 youth immigrants are being held in detention centers. While they are there the youths are not being treated fairly. In the article, a quote by youth advocates and attorneys, “trapped in a shadowy world that evokes the penal practices of Communist-era authoritarian governments like East Germany”. It’s hard to believe that something like this is happening in the United States, according to the article, the abuse is going to increase as this administration continues to crackdown on immigration. These children could be held in these facilities anywhere from a few months to a few years. The senior director of communications for the National Center for Youth Law, Lewis Cohen, says that, “the government is gearing up for mass incarceration of children, children who don’t have protection of the U.S. juvenile justice system”. In 2014, 60,000 minors were sent in the U.S. unaccompanied. This is done to the deep poverty and gang violence spreading through Central America. What I found most disturbing was that, in the article it says that minor behavior problems are being used to diagnose and forcibly medicate the children being held. The adults who represent themselves as therapists will ask the child questions about their background in order to gain information from them and pass that information along and then use that information against them. They use the mental health excuse to continue to imprison children, a tactic used in what was East Germany. In the United States, detention center policies towards the youths that make them seem like dangerous people that want to harm Americans. The undocumented children that are coming from Latin America are being stereotyped as recruits or members of MS-13. When I continued to read this article, another thing I found disturbing was that School Resource Officers are targeting kids in a, quote, “school-to-deportation pipeline”. At schools they could be held, without even knowing the charges against them, and placed in homes that are on lockdown and are forced to take anti-psychotic medication, if they start to show behavior problems. Upon turning 18 they are taken to more secure facilities. This information is rarely shared with the family or the public. Although there have been a few successful lawsuits are producing this information, and advocates are hopping that these will have some effect to which there would be a change. Hopefully there will be a change in the near future. – Adventureflight711
I hate that they say there is about 13,000 young people held in held in immigrant youth detention centers all around the United Satetes of America. Yoiu know from other sources these youth do not get basic human needs other than small amounts of food and some clothes and what they are allowed to use to sleep is an alumanium blankets. They are children or older kids also. It is sad knowing most are immigrating because of the gang violence and lack of health support they are getting before they get sent to the detention centers. I think that the United States should do something large enough to reduce the ammount of children are getting incarcerated because of illegal documentations. Most of the kids I am sure probably do not know they broke a law. It is disgusting that they are alloowed to hold the children in such nasty places for months and also years. Time and time again we are taught in our class that it does not take that long for someone to figure out they did something wrong. I believe since they are not legally in the United States then the U.S. should make some type of shelter or homeless buildings or homes in the other contries to put these youth in, instead of keeping them behind a square of fence and on the floor. It doesnt make things better that the system is corrupt also and people can propose themselves as theripists and when the youth say something that could be used against them the therapist will use it to diagnos them with minor mental issues and then forcibly drug them. The way I am taking it is that the youth could show signs of depression and ptsd from their struggles as kids and that will be good enough evidence for these so called therapists to medicate and detain these youth. I think that the whole youth immigrant detaining system needs to be changed as soon as possible. The way it is right now is not humain and also not a good look onto our justice system. -MyHandle711
As soon as this article started off, my eyes began to dart with interest on the Immigrant topic. Though I knew that the issue was bad, I was not aware that it was this terrible for Mexican and other Latin American immigrants. An estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S., trapped in a shadowy world that evokes the penal practices of COMMUNIST-ERA authoritarian governments like East Germany. It said that they abuses will increase as the Trump Administration continues to step up its immigration crackdown. These youths are being held for not just months but YEARS. This means even more mass incarceration. We’ll be arresting children that don’t have protection of the U.S. juvenile justice system. Germany: To add, the number of youths at immigrant youth detention centers has grown twelve-fold over a 10- year period. Furthermore, Minor behavior problems are being used as an excuse to diagnose and then FORCIBLY MEDICATE immigrant children held in the detention centers. On top of that, there are adults also showing themselves as therapists so they can get information from children and use it against them. United States: United States detention policies toward immigrant children were being influenced by rhetoric that falsely painted them as DANGERS TO THE SAFETY OF AMERICANS. Latin young people from Central America were being stereotyped as recruits or members of the MS-13 gang, in the same way that U.S. juveniles were branded as killers following several high profile crime. This entire article helped open my eyes to the world around me. I never realized that they were finding excuses for behavioral issues and I also didn’t know that crimes were sometimes stereotyped to the MS-13. All of this is insane to me. Not only will it boost mass incarceration, it just shows how ruthless people can still be to others. These children do not deserve the punishment they are receiving. They cannot help what is happening and do not understand the world around them. -Tanlion_nala711
The article starts off with, "13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the United States". I truly did not realize there was a thing such as immigration youth detention centers. The deep poverty and gang violence going through central america sent almost 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the United States in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years. I do not understand why this is even a thing. Why is the United States receiving a problem that was not even ours to begin with. The article further states that minor behavior problems were being used as an excuse to diagnose and then forcibly medicate immigrant children held in the detention centers. I feel like this information is just beyond trivial. I know we do not understand what goes on necessarily in these situations but that statement is out of this world. That in no way, is remotely humane especially to our youth. It is like we are treating them as animals. "They say kids cannot be released if they are dangerous and there's no criteria for how they are deemed 'dangerous'." I think there is criteria but I think with youth we more so put it to the side or not view it as severe as adults because there is the "kid's will be kid's" belief. But in criminal activity, there is clearly a major difference. A lot of the kids that are being referred to in this are a part of the gang MS-13. They are responsible for at least seventeen murders, that including two teenage girls that were 'hacked' to death in the street. That is just eerie. Mainly because this group is known to be of juveniles. You do not really here about this as much in the United States and I know that is also because of the differences in law enforcement but the fact that they are here and may be associated with other juveniles is concerning.I thought this article was incredibly interesting and worth the read and was incredibly informative but the facts in there are those that should be looked at way more than I feel they are. I know crime can be stereotyped to kids as well though, regarding gangs and the assumption that all kids are affiliated if they commit a violent crime or even a petty offense and jump to the hazing ideation, but if this is true, incarceration is going to sky rocket for our youth and the cost is going to be out of this world. -notacop711
There are around 13,000 young people locked up in immigrant detention centers across the United States right now. What’s crazy to me is that many of these kids are being held for months and even years without the protection of US juvenile justice system. I get these kids aren’t citizens, but they are still just kids and really shouldn’t all people get the same rights when in our country? Whatever your thoughts are about illegal immigration I think we can all agree that at the very least these people should get due process. It seems though that people at the federal level want this type of thing to happen and are actively encouraging it with the type of rhetoric that is espoused. Then going on to read about how people are representing themselves as therapists in order to extract information from these kids...that’s sickening to me. And then to get even worse they use minor behavioral issues to diagnose them with a mental disorder to justify medicating them. I agree with Paige Austin in that I can’t believe this kind of thing is happening in the United States right now. I mean just imagine you are a child trying to escape an area riddled with gang violence, most of which were drug here by their parents, to get to a place supposedly welcome to everybody only to get locked up for some minor offense and then not even be afforded due process. I think the treatment of immigrants in this country regardless of their legal status is something to be embarrassed about. The comparison to East Germany sure didn’t help ease my mind either. The way people are painting immigrants as members of gangs is also really troubling. I’m not ignorant to the fact that there are gangs composed of immigrants in this country but to act as if this represents all or even anything more than a small minority of them I think is being really dishonest and it’s causing real harm to people that are just trying to live their lives the best they can. Gangs are a real problem, and one we need to deal with, but we don’t do it by locking up everyone that looks like people in that gang. Using that logic, eventually they’d get to everybody and who would be left to fight it? Avatar711
The article we were asked to read was really interesting. The first thing that they talk about is how there are 13,000 kids being held at immigrant health youth detention centers. That is a crazy number to think about. In the article it also says that the government is gearing up for mass incarceration of children. This really is a really sad statement. There has to be more that all of us can do to prevent these kids from being in prison. It really sucks for them. The article says “Kids end up in quicksand,” Austin said. “They say the kids can’t be released if they are dangerous and there’s no criteria for how they are deemed ‘dangerous.’ ” How do these kids get deemed dangerous when there is no criteria for how they are deemed dangerous. These kids dont even stand a chance. If there is no way for them to officially determine that these kids are dangerous how can they lock them up? We need to set more ways to determine how dangerous some of these kids really are. Kids are different than adults. Some just need more guidance than others is all. -Steel711
There are youth immigrants being held in detention centers and while they are in the detention centers, the youths are not treated fairly like the youths should be treated. The detention center in Peoria was opened in 1999.There is an estimated 13,000 youth immigrants being held in youth detention centers. Many or the vast majority of the youth immigrants in the detention centers have little to no protection from the criminal justice system. This means that the youth immigrants are at the mercy of the criminal justice system. While being held in the detention centers with minor offenses, the youth immigrant detention centers are able to use that as an excuse to forcibly medicate the children in the center. Kids or youths are being held are dangerous, they are not able to be released from custody. Also, there is no criteria for the detention centers to deem them “dangerous”. There needs to be more centers like these in Illinois. Today there are only 16. The activities and way things are carried out in these juvenile detention centers are the way that a lot of places need to treat juveniles. Many of the youths released were deported to El Salvador where they regrouped to create a drug cartel, and are responsible for the highest homicide rates in Latin America, in turn this has created new branches in the united States of America. Many of the youths are being stereotyped as recruits or members of the notorious Central American MS-13 gang, in the same way that US juvenile offenders were labeled as merciless killers following several high profile crimes. Many youths are being treated as adults in these detention centers. Most of the youths are held there without even knowing what they are being charged or held there for. I personally do not feel like we need to have these detention centers. Even though the United States of America is really trying to crack down on immigrants, children are children no matter where you are from and need to be treated fairly. All in all there should be a different program for these children. -crispychicken711
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy that 13,000 immigrant youths are being held in a place that is comparable to communist East Germany. And that under the new Administration it will only get worse for these undocumented children. These undocumented children are being held up in these shady places for months and even years. These children should not be in these types of places, their developing minds might end up turning to the life of crime. In 2014 the influx of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Latin America has grown 12 times over in a 10 year period. Couple that with the 60,000 Central American children that are leaving their country because of safety issues it will have a bad impact on these children. What is even worse these children are being forcibly medicated because of Minor behavior problems. That is absurd that our government would allow such a thing to happen. These are just kids looking for a better life instead they have to life in a shadowy detention center and if they act out they could be but on medication to stop it. These problems are being pushed because these children are being falsely accused of being a danger to the safety of American Citizens. When these children turn 18 they are sent to a more secure facility such a facilities that hold criminals who did violent crimes. These juveniles have fewer rights than juveniles that have U.S. citizenship, most of the time information is not shared with families or even the public. Some of these kids are taken away and sent to court, they are not released if they are deemed dangerous and there is no criteria for how they deemed these children to be dangerous. These issues were brought up by the murders from a gang called the MS-13. These gang members are the children of refugees from El Salvador. They were deported back to the homelands of the parents, they created a new group which caused the highest murder rate in Latin America and made branches that operate in the US. Things need to change so that these immigrants can become US citizens and become a productive member of society. Maybe if they can make a living they and their children won’t turn to a life a crime and keep fellow Americans safe. -ClarkKent711
ReplyDeleteIn this article, in the first couple paragraphs it talks about how the government is preparing for mass incarceration in children. Yes, kids have gotten more brave about the rules that they break and the illegal things they do without their parents. More and more parents are doing less of parenting and more of letting kids roam the streets at night causing trouble. This then leads to kids getting caught up in the wrong crowd and ending up getting in trouble with law enforcers. Their parents are either working multiple jobs trying to put food on the table and a roof over their head and therefore, are never home to take care of their kids and parent them properly so they don’t end up in the wrong crowd and end up in Juvenile Detention Center. According to Angie Junck,”the deep poverty and gang violence tearing through Central America sent some 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the U.S. in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years.” This is very scary considering they only think this number is going to get higher and higher throughout the years. Many immigrants have also ended up in our Juvenile Detention Center because they cross into our lines nad get busted. This is happening more and more because they want to come over to the United States to sell drugs or even promote sex trafficking. Many people like therapists, ask kids in the Juvenile Detention Center what they were thinking and try to get information from them about their crimes. So in the future, we know how to prevent kids from committing crimes and ending up in the Juvenile Detention Center. But then we run into the issue that kids and people are being stereotyped because they are not the same decent or ethnicity as the normal American person. This then leads to America having a bad connotation and other countries not liking us because of the bad connotation. Kids are also starting to be targeted in schools because of gang related activity and getting called out. Before mass incarceration gets too out of hand, they need to figure out the root of the problem so they can avoid mass incarceration in the Juvenile Detention Center. ProbdrinkingStar$’s711
ReplyDeleteIn the article it basically it talking about how the government is going to start a mass incarceration for youth. May not be a bad idea only because most of the crimes or some of the crimes that are being committed is by kids. I feel like parents pay a big role in it as well because some parents check up on their child or even see their child. I understand that some parents work or you know do anything it takes to help their home and have a roof over their heads but, it only will take 10 minutes out of your day to talk to your child. Lately kids have been really brave about breaking the laws or rules. such as shooting schools and killing young kids or beating them to death. I don’t know if this was gang related but a 15-year-old boy just got stabbed to death in his town in front of a store. It looks like it may have been teens that where doing it and no one seemed to help because there were people walking about looking and kelp walking past. That little boy didn’t get justice for what happen to him and same for the kids that got shot when they were in school. I feel like the race difference plays a lot as well because a white male shot of a school and killed a lot of people and didn’t get sentenced to life which is not justice at all. The kids that do serous crime should serve their sentence in a mass incarceration. I feel like today generation kids start to make their own type of gangs and do bad things. Gangs plays a big role now in multiple crimes because if you look deep in it after one gang member in one gang gets killed, a couple days later the other gang member in the other gang gets murdered also. The law enforcement just have to make a smart decision and think whats best to do with these kids that are committing serious crimes.-babyblue711
ReplyDeleteI think it is absolutely crazy to think that there are 13,000 young people who are being held in immigrant youth detention centers around to US but also that it is also being compared to communist East Germany. The fact that they are not being treated to right way. I understand that they are undocumented youth immigrants but being held for a time period ranging from one month to possibly a year is crazy but also that this problem will most likely only get worse for. I think that it is sad that families illegally send their kids or other family member here to the US to give them a better life or to help keep them out and away from the gangs. the deep poverty and gang violence tearing through Central America sent some 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the U.S. But the fact that “in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years.” this is so crazy and crazy to think about this number but also that the number is going to get higher. When the article stated “There they languish, often without knowing the charges against them, in homes that are on lockdown with “caged play areas,” forced to take anti-psychotic medication if they demonstrate behavior problems and, when they turn 18, are taken to even more secure facilities holding those convicted of violent crimes.” It was so sad to hear that’s how they are living and they only have a “caged” play area. The article also states that “Information is rarely shared with families or the public, with the youths having fewer rights than juveniles with U.S. citizenship.” I know that my parents and family would freak if they weren’t being told any information. Because obviously a parent especially a mom will do anything and everything it takes to get information or even to get their kid kid back. I feel as if another problem is that “Kids end up in quicksand,” Austin said. “They say the kids can’t be released if they are dangerous and there’s no criteria for how they are deemed ‘dangerous.’” I feel as though this can be a huge problem because they don’t have proper scoring to determine if they are “dangerous” and then it is harder to release them so we are bringing in more kids faster than we can release. -mmmChicken711
ReplyDeleteThis article opened up an entire new prospective for me to consider regarding youth detention. This topic, more often than not is highly neglected in the public, but yet, it is as prevalent as other major tops within the criminal justice system. I hadn’t considered immigrant youths, their rights and processes that take place in the criminal justice system. Through this article I had a greater understanding of this issue. One of the first things the article revealed was an estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the United States. I am surprised with the amount of youths in the detention center. I wonder how fair the system is for that number to be that high. I also wonder if our own children were placed in the same crime if the out come would be any different from those of immigrant youths. I would surely hope not, however, it is something to consider. Another aspect I noticed in the article, was that behavior problems are being used as excuses to forcibly medicate immigrant children. I have two thoughts on this. The first, wow; this is actually happening in the United States. That is simply ridiculous. Then my second thought is, well it’s not very surprising we medicate youth citizens using the same excuse of bad behavior. I think either approach to this is wrong. I feel strongly that we as a country should reframe from medicating youths for bad behavior in general let alone immigrate youths. There is a much better way around this issue. I don’t think medicating is the answer for fixing bad behavior. The worst thing about this issue is that these immigrate youths do not have a constant set of rights. Without solid rights, it makes this entire issue even murkier, without rights they are truly treated unfairly. This is highly unprofessional for the Criminal Justice system. The inconsistency of rights for the immigrant youths will hurt our country as a whole if they are not corrected soon. This is an issue worth investing in, so many lives would greatly benefit from a set of consistent rights. -Coalroller711
ReplyDeleteI think it is crazy that there are 13,000 kids stuck in the immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S. I never thought that there were this many kids just stuck with nowhere to go and it's just going to grow because trump is cracking down. I also thinks it's crazy how information isn't shared with the families or to the public. This is just starting to sound in humane like not only are these people they are just kids. This reminds me of a show the fosters in it one of the kids gets harassed be “ice”,immigration and in this it shows how the family is torn apart and how no one knows where everyone is at and the are just as normal as you or me just from a different place not doing anything bad just living everyday lives. And how much trouble they have to go through and the heart break, not even considering being stuck at a place where they can literally do whatever. I think that there should be more rules and regulations especially because these are kids and we should be taking percassions and trying to help those in need not just turning them away every chance we get. I never really gave immigration much thought let alone the youth that are involved because you never hear anyone talk about it. I never knew that it was this bad and that there are so many kids stuck in quicksand as the article says. I think we should take a different approach when dealing with kids and families it doesn't feel right and it makes us seem cruel and inhuman to just rip families apart like its nothing. -pizza711
ReplyDeleteI think the detention centers are great. If children in this day and age are breaking the laws and growing up in a bad enviroment, we need to teach them that there are consequences for these kinds of actions. I do agree that kids should be treated fairly in these circumstances though. With the Peoria JDC I like what they are doing. With their system and how the kids can get rewards for doing right. I think it would be great if the whole country could get behind a strategy or similar system. I don't agree with the medicine issue though. Sometimes the kids do not need to be highly medicated for bad behavior or out of control behavior. Just put the kids in confinement for an hour or two, let them calm down. If it does not change we can find solutions to that, but I don't think the medication is the answer. Have we ever thought about just sending these kids home though? Instead of holding them here in the US and wasting the money to hold them here. I think it is just unnecessary. That's just my opinion though. But if we need to keep them, that is my stance on it. Treat them humanely. -Bearsfan98
ReplyDelete13,000, that is a huge number of people, and the fact that they are kids or teenagers is astonishing. I personally don't believe in open borders, and I think we should force immigration laws, but I think we should just send the immigrants right back to where they came from instead of holding them for periods of time. I do not really see a point in youth detention centers. I bet they are expensive, they make America look bad, with the amount of abuse allegations, and they are just in humane is general. Just sent the immigrants back to where they came from. I also think incarceration of these youth immigrants is pointless. Why would we need to spend money on them, and let them sit in jail. It's a waste of money, that we could be using towards something else. I realize that there is a lot of violence tearing through central America, but I think instead of holding these children, we as America could go and support Central America countries. If we just let these immigrants come in without deporting them, they are gonna bring more poverty, more crime, and waste money. This article also takes an account for the undocumented immigrants currently in America. I would like to see a rough statistic of immigrants who get through the border. Immigrant youth detention centers, are overpopulated, when they do not even need to be a thing. Sure a I think a holding center for youth immigrants, is necessary for temporary holding, they do not need to be held for months or years. Holding these youths, will also create problems for the youth themselves. I think it's very unhealthy for the youths in those detention centers. I think malnourishment is very high it seems the youths, aren't treated as a normal human beings. Sure I think th youths are trying to get away from the gang violence, but I do not see why they cannot just do it legally. I know it's hard to become a legal citizen, or get here on a green card. I think youth detention centers for immigrants is no needed, and not right.
ReplyDeleteI-Like-Cereal-711
While I was reading this article it did upset me how it is true that we treat immigrated children pretty awful especially if, hypothetically, a father and mother from another country got into the U.S. Illegally they get put into a detention center and treated horribly than juveniles that have US citizenship. I understand that some kids do understand the risks of entering the country illegally but keeping them here and then punishing them to the full extent and when they turn 18 have them taken to more secure facilities and have them roomed with people of violent crimes. Like yes, they shouldn't have entered the country illegally but it doesn't mean treat them like they are the worst people in the world. I know a lot of people don't agree with trump about a lot of things but why was he involved in this, I understand the policies that he shares will have an effect but it's not all him to blame, Abuse can come from anyone and anywhere. Yes, I think that since Trump has been more aggressive on immigration that we will have more people get in trouble because they enter illegally but what about those that came in legally and still get treated terribly it's just not right. Reading in the article they mention the "MS-13" gang that people are involved in Latin American people were being pursued as members of this gang and when some and maybe most of them aren't but I understand officers point of view and I also don't in the sense that I see the officers because you can't trust anyone because you are there to protect the streets and, based on what I read and what they have done the "MS-13" gang doesn't seem very friendly, the "MS-13" Gang is a big portion they have to be cautious of everyone around them, from the other point of view tho is that most Gang members can usually be identified just by the people they hang out with and the things they say or do, so officers should be able to catch on to the actions or hints right away, granite you cannot catch them all because no matter in a perfect world there is no way you would be able to get rid of all crime. Now the thing I don't understand is why does everyone seem to blame trump for things happening in this country because no matter who was in office, or at least I believe, the results would be similar.
ReplyDelete-z33 711
I was surprised when it said that there is around 13,000 youths being held at immigrant youth detention centers in the United States. If they are actually causing trouble and going down the wrong path, I am okay with them being there. If the detention center is not treating them right or the teenager is innocent, I have problem with that. If an adolescent has a small behavior problem, they automatically medicate the adolescent. It seems like they don't really have rights. I think a small behavior problem does not always require medication. Medication dose weird things and it can make the small problem into a big problem. I thought it was sad when I read that East Germany used mental health to detain children. If the child has a mental health issue, they should be sent somewhere that’s going to help them. Not every child is dangerous. We have portrayed an image that makes the people in the United States believe that youth immigrants are dangerous and after I heard that it blows my mind because we have children in the United States that are dangerous. Not ever kid that comes to this country is dangerous. People try to come into the United States so that they can have a better life. I believe that they should come into the United States legally. Forcing the youth immigrants to be on lockdown and take anti-psychotic medication if there is behavior problem, that’s not right. If they have been proven to be dangerous, then I think it’s okay to keep them in the detention center. I did not know about the gang called MS-13. This gang is very dangerous and I can see why we are being very cautious on this because they have had murders that have happened and the United States believe that members from that gang are behind it. That’s scary because you don't really know who is apart of that gang. I’m kind of on the fence about this. If they come to this country legally and they’re not dangerous, I don't think that’s a problem. If they try to come to this country illegally right off the bat, I think that’s a problem. -Soccer31711
ReplyDeleteThere are many youth immigrants in detention centers that are being treated poorly and unfairly. According to the article “An estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S.” That is a lot of youth that are being mistreated when they should not be. With the new administration it will be getting worse for these children in the detention centers. A lot of the youth immigrants have very small to no protection while in these detention centers. These immigrants are being held for years before they are able to get out. Youth should not be going through things like this. They are young and should be just having fun. Instead they are being put in shadowy and dark rooms. If they do something minor they are being medicated for it. They are not able to say no to this which I think is wrong. They should not be able to medicate a child without their permission let alone without their parents permission. They are still young and this happening to them they are probably traumatized. Some children may come out of the detention center with medical problems,depression,anxiety or some sort of issue. The article states “Adults representing themselves as therapists question the children about their backgrounds in order to extract information to be passed along and used against them.” I think this is so cruel to do to young kids, well anyone in general. If they have problems or issues going on in their life it should not be used against them. This could also give the children trust issues because they tell the therapist things because they trust them. But then they turn on the children and tell their information to their people. Which some of the kids probably don't realize thats whats going on so they keep telling the therapist more and more. Therefore, I think there should be a different program these children can attend and not be treated so poorly.
ReplyDelete-ny711
One of the first things I found that stood out in reading this article was the astonishing rate at which our immigrant youth detention centers have grown. In the article, it states that “the number of youths at immigrant youth detention centers has grown twelve-fold over a 10- year period.” It seems, at this point from everything we’ve done so far this semester, that pretty much every area and aspect of our correctional system has significantly boomed in population since the 1980’s to now. Something I found in the article that I found rather sickening was that according to Cohen and some other panelists, was that there are a plethora of adults “representing” themselves as therapists in order to obtain information from the juveniles being held in order to use it against them at a later time. Some simply minor behavior problems have been, again according to Cohen and some other panelists, “used as an excuse to diagnose and then forcibly medicate immigrant children held in the detention centers.” Upon reading these couple of charges made by Cohen and his panelists, there is no other way for me to put it other than it just sickens and shocks me to hear this is currently going on in our country. Generally, Americans think of their country as the land of the free and where democracy reigns- but where is the freedom and democracy for these unjustly held juveniles? The article relates some of our current practices to that of East Germany, often known for their cruel and unjust acts in the past- definitely not someone we want to be compared to. The next sickening thing I discovered about the immigrant youth detention facilities/processes in our country was that of how we use unsupported gang allegations/accusations to detain said accused youths. Often they are sent to nonprofit organizations, in which they are usually held, not even knowing the charges against them, until they turn 18 and are sent to an even more secure location to be held even longer. At these nonprofit organizations, the kids are subject to “playing” in caged play areas, and are forced to take antipsychotic medication if they display any signs of even minor behavioral problems. This just isn’t right and isn’t apart of the great freedom America promises and typically provides- in my opinion something absolutely needs to be done about this, and soon. GMan219711
ReplyDeleteThe youth immigrants in detention centers really startled me because I had no clue some of these things were going on. I have just been thinking that they are arresting illegal youths and locking them up and treating them as if they are American juveniles. What is happening in some these youth immigrant facilities is just immoral and something needs to change. I had no idea that the Trump administration is enforcing policies that were made and then discredited in the eighties and nineties. These kids they are taking and locking up are part of the MS-13 gang but they are treating them as if they are and are using that as an excuse to arrest them. That’s not law or justice that’s simply prejudice and racism. A kid is not a gang member just because he or she is Central American or Mexican. SRO officers in schools are now able to ‘Identify” potential terrorist and illegals in schools now? Mo they are not trained to do anything of that nature they are school resource officers there to keep kids in order at school. I know the SRO’s I had in high school were definitely not trained in identifying individuals and nor would I trust them to do so. I do agree with a lot of immigration policies and do believe in coming to the U.S. “the right way” but not to the extent of mistreated people and punishing people for something they have had nothing to do with and haven’t been around. Everyone deserves a chance.
ReplyDelete-RickyBobby711
Across the United States, about 13,000 youth immigrants are being held in detention centers. While they are there the youths are not being treated fairly. In the article, a quote by youth advocates and attorneys, “trapped in a shadowy world that evokes the penal practices of Communist-era authoritarian governments like East Germany”. It’s hard to believe that something like this is happening in the United States, according to the article, the abuse is going to increase as this administration continues to crackdown on immigration. These children could be held in these facilities anywhere from a few months to a few years. The senior director of communications for the National Center for Youth Law, Lewis Cohen, says that, “the government is gearing up for mass incarceration of children, children who don’t have protection of the U.S. juvenile justice system”. In 2014, 60,000 minors were sent in the U.S. unaccompanied. This is done to the deep poverty and gang violence spreading through Central America. What I found most disturbing was that, in the article it says that minor behavior problems are being used to diagnose and forcibly medicate the children being held. The adults who represent themselves as therapists will ask the child questions about their background in order to gain information from them and pass that information along and then use that information against them. They use the mental health excuse to continue to imprison children, a tactic used in what was East Germany. In the United States, detention center policies towards the youths that make them seem like dangerous people that want to harm Americans. The undocumented children that are coming from Latin America are being stereotyped as recruits or members of MS-13. When I continued to read this article, another thing I found disturbing was that School Resource Officers are targeting kids in a, quote, “school-to-deportation pipeline”. At schools they could be held, without even knowing the charges against them, and placed in homes that are on lockdown and are forced to take anti-psychotic medication, if they start to show behavior problems. Upon turning 18 they are taken to more secure facilities. This information is rarely shared with the family or the public. Although there have been a few successful lawsuits are producing this information, and advocates are hopping that these will have some effect to which there would be a change. Hopefully there will be a change in the near future. – Adventureflight711
ReplyDeleteI hate that they say there is about 13,000 young people held in held in immigrant youth detention centers all around the United Satetes of America. Yoiu know from other sources these youth do not get basic human needs other than small amounts of food and some clothes and what they are allowed to use to sleep is an alumanium blankets. They are children or older kids also. It is sad knowing most are immigrating because of the gang violence and lack of health support they are getting before they get sent to the detention centers. I think that the United States should do something large enough to reduce the ammount of children are getting incarcerated because of illegal documentations. Most of the kids I am sure probably do not know they broke a law. It is disgusting that they are alloowed to hold the children in such nasty places for months and also years. Time and time again we are taught in our class that it does not take that long for someone to figure out they did something wrong. I believe since they are not legally in the United States then the U.S. should make some type of shelter or homeless buildings or homes in the other contries to put these youth in, instead of keeping them behind a square of fence and on the floor. It doesnt make things better that the system is corrupt also and people can propose themselves as theripists and when the youth say something that could be used against them the therapist will use it to diagnos them with minor mental issues and then forcibly drug them. The way I am taking it is that the youth could show signs of depression and ptsd from their struggles as kids and that will be good enough evidence for these so called therapists to medicate and detain these youth. I think that the whole youth immigrant detaining system needs to be changed as soon as possible. The way it is right now is not humain and also not a good look onto our justice system. -MyHandle711
ReplyDeleteAs soon as this article started off, my eyes began to dart with interest on the Immigrant topic. Though I knew that the issue was bad, I was not aware that it was this terrible for Mexican and other Latin American immigrants. An estimated 13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the U.S., trapped in a shadowy world that evokes the penal practices of COMMUNIST-ERA authoritarian governments like East Germany. It said that they abuses will increase as the Trump Administration continues to step up its immigration crackdown. These youths are being held for not just months but YEARS. This means even more mass incarceration. We’ll be arresting children that don’t have protection of the U.S. juvenile justice system. Germany: To add, the number of youths at immigrant youth detention centers has grown twelve-fold over a 10- year period. Furthermore, Minor behavior problems are being used as an excuse to diagnose and then FORCIBLY MEDICATE immigrant children held in the detention centers. On top of that, there are adults also showing themselves as therapists so they can get information from children and use it against them. United States: United States detention policies toward immigrant children were being influenced by rhetoric that falsely painted them as DANGERS TO THE SAFETY OF AMERICANS. Latin young people from Central America were being stereotyped as recruits or members of the MS-13 gang, in the same way that U.S. juveniles were branded as killers following several high profile crime. This entire article helped open my eyes to the world around me. I never realized that they were finding excuses for behavioral issues and I also didn’t know that crimes were sometimes stereotyped to the MS-13. All of this is insane to me. Not only will it boost mass incarceration, it just shows how ruthless people can still be to others. These children do not deserve the punishment they are receiving. They cannot help what is happening and do not understand the world around them. -Tanlion_nala711
ReplyDeleteThe article starts off with, "13,000 young people are being held at immigrant youth detention centers around the United States". I truly did not realize there was a thing such as immigration youth detention centers. The deep poverty and gang violence going through central america sent almost 60,000 unaccompanied minors into the United States in 2014 and similar numbers the two following years. I do not understand why this is even a thing. Why is the United States receiving a problem that was not even ours to begin with. The article further states that minor behavior problems were being used as an excuse to diagnose and then forcibly medicate immigrant children held in the detention centers. I feel like this information is just beyond trivial. I know we do not understand what goes on necessarily in these situations but that statement is out of this world. That in no way, is remotely humane especially to our youth. It is like we are treating them as animals. "They say kids cannot be released if they are dangerous and there's no criteria for how they are deemed 'dangerous'." I think there is criteria but I think with youth we more so put it to the side or not view it as severe as adults because there is the "kid's will be kid's" belief. But in criminal activity, there is clearly a major difference. A lot of the kids that are being referred to in this are a part of the gang MS-13. They are responsible for at least seventeen murders, that including two teenage girls that were 'hacked' to death in the street. That is just eerie. Mainly because this group is known to be of juveniles. You do not really here about this as much in the United States and I know that is also because of the differences in law enforcement but the fact that they are here and may be associated with other juveniles is concerning.I thought this article was incredibly interesting and worth the read and was incredibly informative but the facts in there are those that should be looked at way more than I feel they are. I know crime can be stereotyped to kids as well though, regarding gangs and the assumption that all kids are affiliated if they commit a violent crime or even a petty offense and jump to the hazing ideation, but if this is true, incarceration is going to sky rocket for our youth and the cost is going to be out of this world. -notacop711
ReplyDeleteThere are around 13,000 young people locked up in immigrant detention centers across the United States right now. What’s crazy to me is that many of these kids are being held for months and even years without the protection of US juvenile justice system. I get these kids aren’t citizens, but they are still just kids and really shouldn’t all people get the same rights when in our country? Whatever your thoughts are about illegal immigration I think we can all agree that at the very least these people should get due process. It seems though that people at the federal level want this type of thing to happen and are actively encouraging it with the type of rhetoric that is espoused. Then going on to read about how people are representing themselves as therapists in order to extract information from these kids...that’s sickening to me. And then to get even worse they use minor behavioral issues to diagnose them with a mental disorder to justify medicating them. I agree with Paige Austin in that I can’t believe this kind of thing is happening in the United States right now. I mean just imagine you are a child trying to escape an area riddled with gang violence, most of which were drug here by their parents, to get to a place supposedly welcome to everybody only to get locked up for some minor offense and then not even be afforded due process. I think the treatment of immigrants in this country regardless of their legal status is something to be embarrassed about. The comparison to East Germany sure didn’t help ease my mind either. The way people are painting immigrants as members of gangs is also really troubling. I’m not ignorant to the fact that there are gangs composed of immigrants in this country but to act as if this represents all or even anything more than a small minority of them I think is being really dishonest and it’s causing real harm to people that are just trying to live their lives the best they can. Gangs are a real problem, and one we need to deal with, but we don’t do it by locking up everyone that looks like people in that gang. Using that logic, eventually they’d get to everybody and who would be left to fight it?
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The article we were asked to read was really interesting. The first thing that they talk about is how there are 13,000 kids being held at immigrant health youth detention centers. That is a crazy number to think about. In the article it also says that the government is gearing up for mass incarceration of children. This really is a really sad statement. There has to be more that all of us can do to prevent these kids from being in prison. It really sucks for them. The article says “Kids end up in quicksand,” Austin said. “They say the kids can’t be released if they are dangerous and there’s no criteria for how they are deemed ‘dangerous.’ ” How do these kids get deemed dangerous when there is no criteria for how they are deemed dangerous. These kids dont even stand a chance. If there is no way for them to officially determine that these kids are dangerous how can they lock them up? We need to set more ways to determine how dangerous some of these kids really are. Kids are different than adults. Some just need more guidance than others is all. -Steel711
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