NCJ Number
80471
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1981) Pages: 23-31
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Using the Training Institute of Central Ohio (TICO) as an example, this article argues that juvenile correctional institutions still impose substantial suffering and punishment on their inmates despite rhetoric emphasizing treatment, humanitarianism, and reform.
Abstract
The helping professions have provided new labels for delinquents, but have not been able to remove the stressful and sometimes devastating effects of institutionalization. The Ohio Youth Commission states that it is committed to the least restrictive alternatives for juvenile delinquents and multiservice delivery, but in reality the State continues to rely heavily on institutionalization. According to a recent study, Ohio's juvenile court commitments to training schools and the average length of stay in these facilities are considerably higher than national averages. TICO, located in Columbus near several other State institutions, is a vivid example of a total institution in which the standard trappings of a therapeutic community exist within a confinement setting. The cottage system is far removed from the family surrogate unit envisioned by penologists in the 19th century. Youths are constantly supervised, locked in their rooms at night, and must wear gray uniforms with a colored T-shirt to designate the specific cottage. Youths are categorized into nine subtypes of social and emotional maturity and must wear colored badges indicating their release status. Staff members also use informal labels which often communicate a youth's sexually exploitable status to other residents. A random survey of 40 TICO residents in the summer of 1978 confirmed a previous study's findings that TICO is perceived by its inhabitants as a hard place to survive with dignity. Most respondents indicated that exploitation and violence or threats of violence were common. When youths were asked to describe a key incident of institutional life, fear ranked second behind powerlessness as a major aspect of institutional living at TICO. A correctional facility like TICO must prove to the community that it can manage its captive audience, largely by controlling its runaway rate. However, displays of coercive power do not promote meaningful treatment, but only reinforce feelings of powerlessness and limit self-initiative and creativity. The article contains 30 footnotes.