Why does America treat our children as adults. If a child commits a crime he or she should be placed in a juvenile detention center. The goal should be to rehabilitate they child once they return to society. Too many of our children are being placed in solitary confinement in prisons throughout the United States. Chained to their beds for 23 hours a day and and many of them are committing suicide. If you do the crime you do the time but why in institutions that are meant for adults. If they are rehabilitated they can return to society and become productive citizens. Too many of these children are scarred for life and commit more crimes when released. Last week Ted Koppel did a report on this subject and it was heartbreaking to see how our children are being treated. If you make a mistake, and I know everyone in including myself have made them, should be given a second chance to do better in life and not to be a burden to tax payers for the rest of their lives. Why not teach these children a trade, or skill or something that would help them to take care of themselves once released back into society. If prison is to punish you for your mistakes, once released your debt is paid and you should be able to lead a productive life and not depend on the government for life . Lets change the way our children are punished for their mistakes. It should not be in solitary confinement in an adult prison.