Waubonsee Community College

Prison for kids, by Patrick and Axel Charles-Messance

eng

videorecording

For College; Adult audiences

Prison for kids

electronic resource

780745280

by Patrick and Axel Charles-Messance

27

Criminal justice and public safety in video

In a Phoenix, Arizona penitentiary, Sheriff Joe Arpalo has initiated an extremely controversial deterrent for juvenile delinquency, called "Smart Tents." It involves incarcerating children who have broken the law in a real prison for two days, to show them what they could become as adults if they don t clean up their act. The sheriff's goal is " ... to show the kids how you live if you commit any crime. Not just drugs, any crime. They are going to live in a tough, tough jail system. They don t like it. I hope they will never forget the nights they spent in the tents, eating bologna, wearing the striped uniform, being awake at night with the dogs. They learn the lesson like that. The parents and teachers go through their experience with them, so they're being educated too." Neither the ACLU nor the Justice Department likes what Sheriff Arpalo is doing, but he feels he is accountable only to the public which elected him. One mother is sure her 13-year old son has been affected by the experience and hopes he will straighten out because of it. She insists she will bring him back repeatedly to make sure he understands the lessons to be learned there

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