When people hear of a teen being incarcerated, most of them tend to have the same judgmental reaction. A stolen item becomes proof of privilege and entitlement; a fight turns a struggling teen into a “monster.” Drug involvement is dismissed as just another consequence of poor choices. Adults often admit that their kid would never do such a thing.

What people never consider is that every teenager who gets sent to juvie probably acted that way not because they are "bad kids" but as a cry for help, as an act of survival.

Before Juvie

Reasons for being sent to juvie vary from theft and vandalism, to drug and alcohol offences, to endangering acts for themselves or others. Let me go deeper into each one of them and the most common reason behind the act.

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Theft and vandalism - mostly happen in groups of more teenagers. Put under a lot of peer pressure, the one kid who so desperately wants to fit in will do mostly anything asked of him. In a circumstance of adrenaline, pressure, shouting and mostly a lot of insecurity of his side, the one teenager who will do the act will also be punished according to the law.

Drug and alcohol offences - here are two categories of teenagers: The ones who come from households where the parents are some sort of addicts, or even, as the sad reality shows, they are the ones delivering, dealing or buying the substances for their parents. The other ones seek comfort in the temporary ecstasy of the substances or alcohol. Never having experienced a loving, comforting, secure environment, teenagers are desperate and crave a warm emotion, hence the offences.

Endangering others or even themselves - a cry for help as it is, analysing it further, we can certainly tell that teenagers have entered the self-defence mode, where they perceive everyone, including themselves, as a threat or danger.

The environment in which a child is raised plays a crucial role in their development. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, facing poverty, familial instability or even community violence, are prone to engaging in behaviours that bring them in contact with the justice system. These circumstances, however, don't define a child's character but highlight the need for support.

My point here: no kid is a bad kid. No kid is a dangerous kid. But some kids are hurting. And instead of getting healed, they get sent to juvie.

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During Juvie

Every institution has its own policy according to the state it's located in and the laws. While most of them do provide teenagers with psychological assistance, it mostly isn't about understanding the internal, emotional struggles of the teens, but more about control. But here's the catch: settling a crisis a teenager is going through will not only amplify it, but also lead to new emotional struggles the teens have to deal with alone.

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The environment is also negatively affecting teens in juvie. Being isolated, having a very strict program, rules and punishments subjects teens to an abnormal amount of pressure and trauma. Having little to no contact with their loved ones - parents, siblings, closest friends - they might lose the one thing that had kept them above water for a long time. Pictures and memories alone are a more depressing factor than anyone could ever imagine, as teens feel the loss of everything they once had and have no one to talk to about it.

It may be the law to punish those who commit a crime. In the context of today's modern world, however, where teenagers are subjected to an incredible amount of pressure and stress - both virtual and personal- their mental health is at risk of giving up the constant fight with insecurities, bottled feelings and unspoken emotions. Isolating them in a cold, lonely place will only make everything worse.

Still, there’s another side to this reality. While many teens in juvenile facilities are there because of underlying pain or neglect, some do commit acts that endanger others or themselves. Recognising this complexity doesn’t mean abandoning empathy; it means understanding that rehabilitation must balance compassion with responsibility. Such a system should protect society and those involved, while also helping teens heal from what caused the dangerous behaviour in the first place.

After Juvie

The vast majority of teens who get out of juvie show signs of PTSD, anxiety and depression. Starting with crippling mental health, which has been subjected to unimaginable trauma during juvie, these teenagers go back to the very same place that had initially led them to such a low point in their lives, where breaking the law was the only cry for help they could think of. And the circle starts anew: No one around, alone in fear and struggles, no help whatsoever.

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It's time for us, as a community, as politicians who enforce the laws, to make a change. Raise awareness about the teenagers' mental health, and provide all the help possible.

And the next time we hear of a teen being sent to juvie, we must change the way we view things and know that with enough love and support, they could be just like our kids.

No kid is a bad kid. No kid is a dangerous kid. But some kids are hurting. And we must heal them.