Weeping In The Playtime Of Others: America's Incarcerated Children Analysis

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After reading Kenneth Wooden’s book Weeping in the Playtime of Others: America’s Incarcerated Children, I was exposed to the devastating, heartbreaking truths about our corrupt legal system. I was never aware of the physical abuse, torture and exploitation experienced by juveniles staying in correctional facilities across America. What I found to be most disturbing is that many of these youths were not actually criminals, but runaways and mentally disabled and emotionally disturbed children. The graphic and specific nature of the descriptions was extremely unsettling because although they are events that occurred in the past, it is still recent enough to realize that what happened to these children was not terribly long ago. However, the gruesome treatment of juveniles has in…show more content…
From tear gassing, to the utmost physical abuse, juveniles were tortured and it led to the children wanting to commit suicide in these harsh conditions. Such brutality was a shocking insight to me. I was in disbelief that in our own country this kind of treatment once went on and nothing was done about it for quite some time. Without such investigations that have taken place by Kenneth Wooden, one can only wonder about if such treatment would still go on and if it is even possible that it happens today. With fear being invested into the minds of juveniles, it can be very easy to control them and have underground extreme policies going on regarding abuse. In the 1960’s according to the Supreme Court, “…it does not deprive the child of any rights, because he has none”; this kind of mentality that once has been used can be trickled down and infiltrate the system today of some individuals who like to think that way still and control power over anyone they can. These situations are very chilling and have shed great insight onto juveniles in the criminal justice

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