New data shows nearly 250,000 children were locked up in the U.S. in 2019
Researchers also found those kids are at higher risk of being victims of violence or sexual abuse
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – New data collected by the Sentencing Project shows nearly 250,000 children were locked up across the United States in 2019.
That’s around five times more than annual point-in-time counts.
They also found that children who have been incarcerated are at higher risk of being victims of violence or sexual abuse.
Incarceration rates are much higher in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color as well, where police presence is higher.
These children are less likely to graduate high school and find jobs later on in life.
Daniel Gutman with Voices for Children in Nebraska said “scared straight” tactics are ineffective because the frontal lobe of the brain, which allows people to understand the potential consequences of their actions, does not fully develop until the age of 25.
Gutman insists that there are better ways to help kids through schools and community-based efforts, as current practices for rehabilitating children are not working and are expensive.
