Weeping In The Playtime Of Others Analysis

The juvenile justice system in the United States is stained with an immensely dark past. In 1976, Kenneth Wooden uncovered the atrocities that were occurring within America’s juvenile correctional system when he released Weeping in the Playtime of Others. In hopes of protecting children and initiating change in the juvenile justice system, Wooden addressed the lack of human rights and legal justice in juvenile issues, the origins of delinquency, the abuse and neglect within America’s juvenile institutions, political corruption and greed, and, finally, his recommendations for reform (1976). This report will first summarize Weeping in the Playtime of Others, and then present and defend my critical analysis of the text.
Weeping in the Playtime of Others begins by outlining important court cases involving the denial of children’s constitutional rights in the juvenile justice …show more content…
I tend to coincide with the notion that solitary confinement should not be a form of punishment used on children, for children are in need of stimulation and direction rather than simply being locked away in solitude. However, one might argue that solitary confinement may be necessary if a child cannot be controlled and that the time in solitude would allow for them to reflect upon their unfavorable behaviors. Nevertheless, I maintain that solitary confinement is entirely unproductive in achieving both these things. The isolation generally only results in manic, depressive behaviors that do not allow for reflection will continue to reside within the child upon release from solitary confinement. Furthermore, I contend that since the brain of a juvenile is still developing and requires rich stimulation, solitary confinement robs that child of proper neurological