Tackling Juvenile Solitary Confinement

Did you know that at any given time, juveniles held at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC) could be held in "segregation" for up to 32 days at a time? Even though there's a separate cell block for teens awaiting trial, they're still in an adult jail. The experience of these conditions can lead to increased confinement, recidivism, and irreperable trauma. 

Many believe teen offenders should be held in juvenile facilities to alleviate the effects of adult jail - looking at the story of Kalief Browder as an example. Browder, 22, took his own life in 2015 after spending three years in Rikers Island, a New York adult prison. Our nonprofit partner, Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project, addresses this issue in a recent Philly.com article.