What Happens When Foster Teens Get Punished Instead of Treated? A CASA’s View From the Front Line

What’s it like to be a CASA guardian ad Litem (child protection worker) unable to find safe housing and mental health services for the 14-year-old struggling foster boy in your caseload?

This child’s self-harming and violent behaviors could change for the better when there is help to find safety and manage behaviors triggered by childhood traumas. Without safe housing and mental health services it’s not happening – no matter how hard child advocate works to find help. It’s too often just not there.

The next crime will likely bring charges in adult court. Minnesota is taking a hard turn towards punishing youth in adult court today. This is not something to celebrate.

Boys his age are raped and ruined in many ways by broken men in our punishment-oriented institutions.

What’s it like to be the traumatized boy removed from his home by a judge because his life was endangered by his caregivers? Imagine a juvenile you know living with uncontrollable childhood traumas and violent behaviors and the punishment in store for you by the community. What’s it like to know at 14 that this could have been your life if you had been born into generational child abuse?

It’s demoralizing to know that our community lets it happen. The pipeline to prison system in America is operating at full speed and at capacity. Policing at risk youth is extremely fraught with danger for all involved. Prison recidivism at nine years has been over 80% for over ten years and it’s not getting better.

While courts have become more lenient towards traumatized veterans returning from war with violent behavior, Minnesota and other states are moving towards more punishment and bigger prisons for kids.

This is all about mental health and community support for children in need. It’s time we recognized trauma in children is at least as terrible for the child as it is for veterans.

This story told to me by a CASA guardian ad litem working with a boy on a bad path.

Is CPS creating what it was designed to stop?

There are many forces at play on Child Protective Services today

The punishment model still rules in courts, schools and public policy

better tracking and reporting

of outcomes-based metrics in CPS and Jails

and the over-institutionalizing

of children in our institutions

(dehumanizing trends)

First, we need to save abused children from

more trauma, more punishment and a lifetime of crime

that comes from early incarceration.

KARA reports on the issues of invisible children

This article submitted by Former CASA Guardian Ad Litem Mike Tikkanen

Share this important information

with your social media and

let KARA know your stories and perspectives.

All Adults Are the Protectors of All Children

listen to the audiobook for free  (KARA podcasts) & Free Weekly KARA Updates

If you tell me your preferred length for titles in your theme (for example, under 60 characters), I can tighten the SEO and on-page titles to match.