NCJ Number
139897
Date Published
1992
Length
40 pages
Annotation
This photographic essay focuses on the story of John, a 17-year-old inmate of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Red Wing, and presents both personal details and general facts about the family lives and offenses of other juvenile delinquents and the processing of their cases from arrest to incarceration.
Abstract
The author spent more than 10 years in correctional facilities during his adolescence and early adulthood. John was 15 years old when he was arrested for a series of vehicle thefts and residential burglaries. He was sentenced to the Austin Boys Ranch, an open environment facility. However, he soon ran away and was sent to the Minnesota Correctional Facility, which houses both repeat offenders as well as runaways from open institutions. The text notes that juvenile inmates often lacked stable family lives and began stealing when they were as young as ages 5 or 6. Most had problems at school as well. Most juveniles are released to the custody of their parents after arrest. Juvenile court procedures vary from one jurisdiction to another. Modern juvenile law is based on the concept of parens patriae. First offenders are usually placed on probation, but a wide variety of residential treatment programs are also available. The Red Wing facility confines 100 juveniles as well as 80 adults who are finishing their sentences under less restrictive conditions than prison. The youths adhere to a tight schedule that includes full-time school. The group meeting at each cottage each evening is probably the most important program at Red Wing, and the inmate's behavior and attitude determine the length of confinement.