The human brain takes a long time to reach its fullest. Our prefrontal cortex, the department in the brain responsible for decision-making, isn’t fully developed until the age of 25, meaning our brains aren’t fully mature, even after we can drink or drive for the first time. Since our brains are fragile organs that can take decades to develop, adolescents are prone to making reckless and immature decisions, with some people making serious mistakes that have heavy consequences. 

Depending on how severe the crime is, most youths are sent to juvenile, long-term secure facilities, reception centers, and diagnostic centers. These facilities serve as a place for self-improvement and acknowledgment of mistakes, instead of strict punishments like adult prisons. Despite the fact that most of these detention centers have laid out schedules solely for self-improvement, like school, counseling, and exercise time, detainees often aren’t granted the opportunity to learn from their mistakes 

In 2024, LawInfo reported cases of children at correctional centers facing harassment.  The report cites instances of guards abusing youths, or allowing fights on purpose, creating an atmosphere of fear in hopes that detainees never misbehave again. Additionally, even though the youths are in a detention center, many criminal activities like alcohol, drugs, and violence still occur inside the walls. Sexual assault, like impromptu and random strip searches, has been known to occur as well, scarring youths with shame and humiliation. 

Furthermore, the practice of solitary confinement, isolating a youth away from others in their own room, can lead to psychological problems linked to self-harm. As a result, when youths are released, oftentimes they aren’t rehabilitated in the intended manner. Juvenile Law Center states that these brutal conditions can impede growth, and can traumatize a child or give them serious emotional disabilities. 

According to On The Brink, suicide rates among juveniles have been increasing because of the lack of attention to trauma and psychological needs. Especially during COVID-19, during the years of quarantine and isolation, numbers have peaked.

Many youths struggle with mental health in these facilities, and it affects their education, behavior, and relationships with others. According to youth.gov, seventy percent of youths in juvenile detention facilities are diagnosed with mental health disorders, with thirty percent of them having severe problems. While most people might have the perception of juveniles and rehabilitation centers being places of learning and growth, this is a common misconception and these facilities often do the opposite. As these youths are only in their teen years, with reform, these juvenile centers can be places for self-improvement and not places of discipline and harm, gradually leading to a safer community, and decreased potential crime rates.