Juvenile Detention Center

Jeff Hobbs is the bestselling author of "The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace." His new book is a groundbreaking look at the school-to-prison pipeline and life in the juvenile “justice” system.There has been very little written about juvenile detention and the path to justice. For many kids, a mistake made at age thirteen or fourteen—often resulting from external factors coupled with a biologically immature brain—can resonate through the rest of their lives, making high school difficult, college nearly impossible, and a middle-class life a mere fantasy.In "Children of the State," Jeff Hobbs challenges any preconceived perceptions about how the juvenile justice system works—and demonstrates: No one so young should ever be considered irredeemable.

Vermont's state-run juvenile detention center has been ordered to reduce the use of solitary confinement and ease disciplinary procedures.Late last week,…