In this land of the free, why do we enslave our children? Youth incarceration is the new slavery. Children are taken away from their families, often abused, mistreated, deprived of adequate education, and put behind bars and paraded in shackles and handcuffs as if they were chattel on an auction block. Many of their basic physical and mental health needs are ignored. Their overall well-being is affected. The emotional and psychological damage leaves them ill-equipped to effectively function in society. Many of the scars left by this injustice system are overt, however there are many scars beneath that can’t be seen with the naked eye. Incarcerated children frequently suffer from a lack of pride, self-worth, self-confidence, and their hopes and dreams are often dismantled. We cannot afford to wait for others to save our children. Youth incarceration is oppression in its worst form. YOU GOT THE POWER.
It is true that BIPOC communities are disproportionately the ones directly and adversely affected by incarceration. This is of great concern, but as Dr. King once said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
It has been said that the United States incarcerates more youths than any other country in the world. The United States has also been touted as the most powerful country in the world. With that being said, why do we administer such harsh punishment against some of our most defenseless and vulnerable citizens… our children? They lack maturity and adequate brain development. Because of this they sometimes engage in risky behavior. It seems counterproductive to place them in prison for choices associated with their development or lack thereof.
Our children are hurting, our families are hurting. Change is not always easy but in this case, it’s necessary. YOU GOT THE POWER. These are our children and we must take the necessary steps to ensure they are safe, free, healthy, educated, and afforded all the opportunities to achieve their goals in life.
Our forefathers during movements for change were persistent, focused, united, and dedicated. They did not have a lot of political allies but they had the will, grit, tenacity, and fortitude to change the status quo. Incarceration leads to humiliation, and degradation and is void of rehabilitation. I say to you, YOU GOT THE POWER.
What can we do?
Remove the funding from youth prisons, and set up community-based programs using best practices. Establish accountability standards for such programs. Stop school push-out…schools are frequently “pipelines to prison.” We cannot afford to have cookie-cutter schools. Children learn differently and the teaching and education systems should reflect that. When needed, appropriate psychological and social interventions should be given. We should support the concept of family units and unity. Court involvement should be a last resort. Courts are sometimes the processors for prisons. Many do not take into account the individual circumstances and needs of the youth. They seem to look at the behaviors without looking at possible root causes or providing help and resources. Next, alleviate the disparities that exist between Black and brown youth and their white peers. Provide youths of color with the same grace and resources that allow them to be kids and become productive members of society.
Be the catalyst for Change….I say to you, YOU GOT THE POWER, use it to make this world a better place.
Written by
Flora Watson, a co-founding member of FFLIC.