However, that isn't even what I consider the main problem with sending young people to adult prisons. There have been a number of studies that show that children who are arrested for the exact same crime, come from the same background and get sent to adult jails rather than juvenile jails tend to have a higher recidivism rate once they're released. They tend to be arrested more and endanger the public more when they get out. We're sending these children to what are pretty much hot pressure-cooker crime schools, where they hang out with older, more violent, hardened criminals. It may be tough on a particular individual child, but it's not really being tough on crime.
Most juvenile facilities tend to emphasize preparation for when they get out a bit more.
There's more emphasis on literacy programs and job skills. When children are put into adult prisons, generally speaking, there's no education, no rehabilitation. They're kind of thrown out on the public more violent than ever, without having gained anything. I admit, there are some hardened, incorrigible and violent people who you could probably put through every counseling and education program you want, and they're never going to change. But every study that I've seen would say that the vast majority really can change.