In Pennsylvania, we can do better than caging kids

['First-Person Essay Jamie Silvonek', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Vertical-Align Middle .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar Is .Alignleft .Alignright'] Pittsburgh's Public Source 2025-09-19 09:30:00

In 2015, weeks after I turned 14, a judge sentenced me to 35 years to life in an adult prison. Being isolated in an adult prison exacerbated my already deteriorating mental health. Back then, kids were 36 times more likely to die by suicide in an adult prison than in a juvenile facility. (Courtesy photo via the Prison Journalism Project)Almost all of the youth sentenced to adult prison will be released one day. To keep our communities safe and prevent recidivism, we must ensure kids leave prison in better shape than when they entered.