They Put Children in Cages in California

If we were having lunch and I told you that the State of California drugs mentally ill children and locks them in cages, you would probably think I was exaggerating. Sadly, not only is it true, but it's probably happening at right this very moment. At least they are committed to change, even if it is going to happen "gradually".
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Deal OK'd for Calif. Youth Prison System

By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In a drastic change, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger administration has committed California to reforming the way it treats youthful offenders, promising to replace more punitive measures with therapy and positive reinforcement.

The agreement was announced Monday to settle a lawsuit. Only last year, the juvenile system was criticized by national experts as draconian. Among the methods they cited was the use of cages and drugs to subdue mentally ill or substance addicted youths.
Under a timetable set for the agreement, reforms will be implemented gradually. The body that oversees the system, the California Youth Authority, set a fall deadline for having a plan to shift the approach to one similar to those being used successfully by other states.
By Nov. 30, the authority will lay out a plan to provide rehabilitation, keep youths as close to their homes as possible, include their families when possible, minimize when youths are locked in their cells for 23 hours a day, and "emphasize positive reinforcement rather than punitive disciplinary measures."