This is a reblog from Prisonmovement’s Weblog. They did an excellent job in writing this piece. I should mention as well, that they’ve reformatted their site recently, and it looks awesome. As I’ve said before, I very much enjoy their work and consider it an honor to call myself a colleague.

Before the other boys jumped Tyrone, they asked if he wanted to fight.

That was a mere formality. Fights are a regular occurrence among juveniles being held in Baltimore’s adult jail — where the 16-year-old was held for six months on attempted-robbery charges — and he had no say in the matter. A corrections officer sat just feet away, but his indifference created a gulf of miles, Tyrone said.

Days-long power outages. Intense heat. Spontaneous beatings. Inadequate medical care. Corrections officers who are not at their posts.

During the hearings, Heard has become exasperated listening to the accounts.

“The purpose of this detention is not to make you suffer. It is not to physically abuse you. It is not to make you submit to assaults,” she told one young defendant before agreeing to move him to the juvenile facility.

Turning to another at a separate hearing, she said: “You do not deserve this.”

To read the rest of this fascinating and extremely well written article, please click:

http://prisonmovement.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/kids-behind-bars/

Related articles

• Innocent deaf woman spends 60 hours in jail without interpreter – From Prisonmovent’s Weblog (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• Plea For Help From Law Enforcement (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• Destroying the soul (yunasite.wordpress.com)
• Lewiston locals get educated in juvenile justice (bangordailynews.com)