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A brick sign that reads "Louisiana State Penitentiary" and "Secretary James LeBlanc" located in front of the prison's entrance.
Closing Argument August 13
Confronting America’s ‘Cruel and Unusual’ Juvenile Detention Crisis
From Texas and Louisiana to communities in Iowa and Michigan, the way youth are being detained is prompting calls for change.
By Jamiles Lartey
Khayr Muhammad leaps in the air with a cape in his right hand, streaming behind him.
The Frame January 14
“Wild: Bird of Paradise” Envisions a World Without Prisons or Police
The final installment of Jeremy McQueen’s dance film explores the challenges and fears of being a young Black man in New York City.
By Celina Fang
Life Inside October 21, 2021
I Was Sentenced to Life as a Juvenile. Now I Help Kids Build Brighter Futures.
Imprisoned for 25 years, Fred Weatherspoon was shocked to return to a Chicago he didn’t recognize. He found belonging in an unexpected way — working with vulnerable young people and their families.
By Fred Weatherspoon as told by Lakeidra Chavis
Teenagers at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Detention Center East in Tampa, Florida, in September 2020.
One Year Later: The Pandemic Behind Bars March 8, 2021
Many Juvenile Jails Are Now Almost Entirely Filled With Young People of Color
Thousands of kids were freed from juvenile detention during the pandemic. They were more likely to be White, data shows.
By Eli Hager
A juvenile at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans in 2018.
Coronavirus May 12, 2020
Solitary, Brawls, No Teachers: Coronavirus Makes Juvenile Jails Look Like Adult Prisons
Youth lockups are supposed to rehabilitate kids, not punish them. The pandemic is making that harder than ever.
By Eli Hager
Students at the Travis Hill School inside of the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, in 2018.
Coronavirus March 23, 2020
“I Want to See my Child.” Juvenile Lockups Cut Visits Over COVID-19 Fears
Families fret about isolated youth behind bars.
By Eli Hager
Texas's independent monitor for juvenile prisons like the Gainesville State School has suspended its monthly visits because of COVID-19.
Coronavirus March 17, 2020
As COVID-19 Measures Grow, Prison Oversight Falls
“We now have no idea what’s going on inside.”
By Keri Blakinger
Leroy Gardenhire uses a virtual reality headset at the Fremont Correctional Facility in Cañon City, Colo., to simulate doing laundry at a laundromat.
News July 17, 2018
A View of Tomorrow
With virtual reality, juvenile lifers practice for a world they may experience.
By Nicole Lewis
Life Inside March 29, 2018
When You’re 16 and It’s Your First Time in Solitary
“I felt like I aged 10 years just by doing 20 days in there.”
By Jordan as told to Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
A Special Housing Unit at Onondaga County Justice Center in Syracuse, N.Y.
News March 28, 2018
Rikers Doesn't Put Teens in Solitary. Other New York Jails Do.
Even after the high-profile death of Kalief Browder, jails in the rest of the state routinely isolate juveniles.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
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