Have you ever been told you aren't allowed to do something because of your gender, your age, or another reason you can't control? It's frustrating. There are often good reasons for being told you can't do something, but those reasons usually feel unfair.
Today I was informed that I couldn't visit a juvenile detention center because I am not yet 21 years old. I wasn't given a reason why 21 is the magical age that allows a person to be able to visit. It's a full three years after a person has become a legal adult, while family members of incarcerated minors are allowed to visit at 18 years old.
I understand that young children should not be allowed to enter a detention facility because it could be emotionally scarring and painful as well as very scary. However, while this rule will not necessarily negatively impact my junior theme paper, it will ultimately restrict my understanding of juvenile detention. This is because I lack the experience necessary to know how the inside of a detention center looks and how the people, both guards and detainees, act towards one another.
Liesel,
ReplyDeleteThat is extremely frustrating! First off, I think that once a person turns 18 and is allowed to go to war and experience violence and killing, they should also be allowed to go to a juvenile detention center, especially since all the detainees would be younger than them. I also think that it would be better if they allowed younger people to visit the center with parental consent or with a parent or guardian present. It's a parent's choice what their child sees, and if your parents are okay with you visiting the center I can't see a reason why it would be harmful. Best of luck, hopefully you'll find another valuable experience that can help with your junior theme.