We're Just a Little Nicer

Between 1990 and 1996 40 states expanded the number of juvenile cases that could be tried in adult court and given adult punishments. No state went harder than Texas. When he ran for governor in 1994 George W Bush campaigned with a promise to lock up more children. In 1995 after he won the state legislature passed an omnibus juvenile justice reform bill which brought even tougher sentencing for kids accused of crimes. The state budgeted another 200 million dollars for facilities which was enough to triple their capacity to incarcerate children so like Texas is like we got to have at least three times as many kids locked up in this fucking state.