I am Olivia.

Olivia. 20. Michigan. Working. Mother. Tattooed. Taken <3.

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blackgirlphresh:

Uncompromising Photos Expose Juvenile Detention in America

On any given night in the U.S., there are approximately 60,500 youth confined in juvenile correctional facilities or other residential programs. Photographer Richard Ross has spent the past five years criss-crossing the country photographing the architecture, cells, classrooms and inhabitants of these detention sites.The resulting photo-survey, Juvenile-In-Justice, documents 350 facilities in over 30 states. It’s more than a peek into unseen worlds — it is a call to action and care.

“I grew up in a world where you solve problems, you don’t destroy a population,” says Ross. “To me it is an affront when I see the way some of these kids are dealt with.”

The U.S. locks up children at more than six times the rate of all other developed nations. The over 60,000 average daily juvenile lockups, a figure estimated by the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), are also disproportionately young people of color. With an average cost of $80,000 per year to lock up a child, the U.S. spends more than $5 billion annually on youth detention. On top of the cost, in its recent report No Place for Kids, the AECF presents evidence to show that youth incarceration does not reduce recidivism rates, does not benefit public safety and exposes those imprisoned to further abuse and violence. Ross thinks his images of juvenile lock-ups can, and should, be “ammunition” for the ongoing policy and funding debates between reformers, staff, management and law-makers.

(Source: sunrec, via theneongypsy)

Filed under youth juvie justice america children what are we doing?

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I’m so sick of not having any control over what happens with my own kid. It’s ridiculous really and it’s not fair for her. She gets five different people doing things five completely different ways. When my opinion should be the only one that really matters. Thank you for being gracious enough to let us live here, thank you for helping take care of her, but back the fuck off. I want to be the one that makes decisions regarding MY DAUGHTER thank you very much. This puts me in the shittiest position, I can either just never work and spend all the time in the world with Giselle and be broke as fuck. Or work all the time and let Jose’s parents just think they get to be her parents and relinquish all rights to ever make a decision. I hate that they do shit without ever telling or asking me. I hate that living here is like living in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language and never know what’s going on. I hate that Jose doesn’t have any idea why any of this would upset me. Fuck. I’m so over today already.

Filed under personal rant i don't know what to do with my life baby parenting

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My poor baby has an ear infection. She’s getting a top tooth and a bottom tooth at the same time. And no one will let her go down in the basement. She’s pretty mad at us. Baby problems lol.

Filed under personal giselle baby problems