Tonight on Prime Time they went inside two Arizona Youth Detention Centers. They wanted to investigate the Lost Children as they called them.

One Boys facility and one girls facility. Where the kids placed there had committed crimes and had been locked away there to attend school and be reformed.

They told the story of one young man who was 14. He was at his brothers apartment during a party. He was not drinking but he wanted to have a little fun with his friend. He went into his brothers closet and he pulled out his brothers shotgun. He cocked it and turned and pulled the trigger. He was horrified when he found out the gun was loaded and he had just killed his best friend.

The judge agreed that it was a terrible accident and allowed him to be tried as a youth for man slaughter instead of being tried as an adult for murder.

He remained there in lock up until his 18th birthday.
He said he was determined to achieve in life and not to get into trouble ever again for his sake and for the sake of his best friend. His life would be lived for his friend.

They told the story of a little six year old who was molested by her mothers boyfriend. At the tender age of 13 she herself re offended and molested a six year old child. She had been placed in the facility and after three years she was released back to live with her mom. It seemed like she would be successful but due to her mothers anger and abuse she has now been placed with relatives for her own safety.

Another young lady was pregnant. She was in the facility for possession of narcotics. She was released shortly after her baby was born and now she is going back to school for her GED and will attend college in the fall. She said she used to need to get high but her baby is her high now. She is now staying clean and is still with the bays birth father.

For many of the kids there. 45 percent will re offend and end up back there or in adult jail.
For the few that make it through the program and find their place in the out side world. It was a transitional stay of hope.

In the past few years Arizona has cleaned house in their Youth Departments. There are new leaders in position who have changed the way things get done.
This came about after 3 children killed themselves while in lock up.

For all of these emotionally and mentally harmed children. They need the love and stability of structure to survive. One young girl tried to kill herself for the third time after she had been released from the facility. All because her father told her she was not worth anything. He himself serving his third prison term.

These kids may look tough on the outside but they are still very tender and often more of a child on the inside than we give them credit for.

I wonder if every state should not have a facility like this for the children who are doomed to re offend. A place with structure and stability. Where help with all aspects of counseling is present and the chance to get an education is available too.

Do you know a child who is in need of some type of program like this? Do you think that this is an answer for troubled youth? Or is it just another lock up facility to not deal with all the issues?
Your opinion counts.