For the past five years, photographer and college professor Richard Ross has been documenting juvenile detention facilities throughout the nation.
With money acquired from a fellowship and a variety of other foundations, Ross was able to visit over 300 juvenile detention facilities in 30 states across the United States.
"Every kid that I spoke to, I would go into these cells, I would go into their environment, and I would sit on the floor, frequently a concrete cell. I would spend, like, half-an-hour sitting there taking notes, and I would always start with introducing what I was doing and asking them if it was okay if I talked to them," Ross said.
The project started when Ross called up his cousin who is a prosecuting attorney in El Paso, Texas. His cousin was able to get him inside a detention facility and what he saw compelled him to expand the project as far as he could.
For instance, Ross discovered that children as young as seven were part of the justice system and that treatment of kids varied from institution to institution.
"There's no federal statute about how to treat kids. There really is no guidance, so it's all over the place," he said.
Quotes
So, when kids do things society considers wrong, how much do you hold them accountable? You can't give them a total pass, but when you stop their education, you're stopping any chance of giving them any better future," Richard Ross, photographer.
Warm Up Questions
1. What is a "juvenile offender?"
2. What do you know about how young people who commit crimes are treated?
Discussion Questions
1. In your opinion, is 'juvenile detention' a topic worth documenting? Why or why not?
2. In the story, Richard Ross says he was surprised at the ages of some of the youth offenders. Does it surprise you that there are children under the age of 10 in the juvenile system? Why or why not?
Additional Resources
Gang Member-Turned-Ph.D. Mentors Youth on the Fringes
One Man's Journey From Gang Member to Academia
