Sunday, November 11, 2007, 10:03 PM – Winter_2008
Posted by Amy Rodrigue
On November 9th, our class took a field trip to the Juvenile Detention Center in Greensboro, NC. This was an eye-opening experience for most of the students. From the discussion panel guests, we learned thar the majority of the prison population comprises black males. While attending the Detention Center, we had no real contact with the juveniles, and we were not given any real statistics about the racial makeup of the juveniles; however, from the glimpse I had into the classroom, the four males I saw were in fact black. This Detention Center serves as these juveniles’ last chance to turn their life around before ending up in an adult prison when they become of age.
The Detention Center is “dedicated to serving the area’s juvenile justice needs by providing safe and secure custody to juveniles between the ages of eight to sixteen who are awaiting court action or transfers to other facilities.” (www.co.guilford.nc.us) This Center alone is able to house up to 48 juveniles and houses about 800 juveniles a year from the five surrounding counties. Each juvenile receives clothing three times a week, a bed linen, personal hygiene items, three meals a day with one snack, and medical attention when needed. Within the Center there are six PODS, which are mini housing units that contain eight cells. A full education program is in place that partners with the Guilford County School system.
When visitors enter the building, they first must walk through the metal detector and then are led down a narrow hall into the gym where visitation is held. Visitation is only for 15 minutes on the weekends for family only, over the age of 18. They may also receive phone calls on the payphone in their pod, but again from family members only over the age 18. The Center uses video arraignment technology for the juveniles’ court appearances, as well as for teleconferencing. The juveniles enter the center from the back, by a two-car port, where they are processed in the admission center. The male and female juveniles have no contact with each other; the only time they would see each other is in passing from the gym to the cafeteria.
Their day starts at 5:30 am with morning exercise, showering, followed by breakfast. Classroom is from about 9:30 until 2:15; from there, they have a 45-minute rest period in their cell, to make phone calls, or if permitted to watch TV. Next is dinner time and than nighttime showers followed by bedtime around 7:30 or 8:00. The schedule at the detention center has every minute of the day accounted for, with every move being watched and recorded. The staff is very strict and teaches the children discipline and respect in hopes to change them for the better of society.
While I was on the tour at the Detention Center, it was eerie and upsetting at the same time. When I saw the cells these kids have to sleep in, the clothes they have to wear, and the food they have to eat, I felt sorry for them. On the other hand, I was almost afraid something bad was going to happen while we were on the tour, so I had my guard up at all times. I had mixed emotions because I felt sorry for the kids, but at the same time knew that they deserved to be in there for the betterment of themselves. Some of the facts I was told were upsetting as well; the high return rate of most of these juveniles within days of their release and just some of the crimes these kids, KIDS!!, committed. I just don’t understand how an individual is able to suffer with having to live in the Center, and pass on the opportunities they are being given to better their lives by screwing up right when they are let out.
These children are given a glance of what their future could be like with the betterment of themselves, and what their future will look like when they end up in prison or possibly worse. I know if somebody showed me two options of what my future would look like, I would take them up on trying to get the better one no matter what it took. I also know some of these children are too young to psychologically understand the consequences of their actions; they are being taken down by social influence, conformity, and compliance with their gang leaders, and peer pressure.
As a psychology major, at the end of the tour, I actually discussed with one of the staff members about doing some volunteer work and what it all entailed. I think Centers like this do a great service for the juveniles, but at the same time it takes more than just being locked up for a certain amount of time to “fix” these kids. I am now beginning to see all the pieces fit together, dating back to slavery up to today’s society, where this violence and crime came from and its effect on today’s youth.