Thoughts from Juvenile Hall
I’ve spent some time over the past couple weeks at Juvenile Hall. I think it’s one of those experiences where I learn more than I actually contribute, and I just hope that I’m sensitive and understanding to these kids’ problems, and not just look at them like they’re this foreign world to me (which they are) which I can’t do anything about (which I can).
- I’ve seen more stab wounds in my teen population than I did in my veteran population.
- I often don’t understand why these minors do what they do, but I don’t always try to. I could never understand their childhoods.
- It’s much easier to take a sexual and drug history from these teens than it is from adults. I don’t know if it’s because they’re younger than me, or if it’s because I expect them to be sexually active and taking drugs, or if it’s because it’s much more relevant to their care than it is to most adults, or if they’re just more comfortable and open about the topics. Probably a combination.
- For all of Pediatrics: I would love love love some sort of national database that keeps track of what vaccinations a kid has had. Man that would save time.
- Myspace is powerful among teens. I saw a runaway teen who doesn’t use Myspace and doesn’t have Internet access, yet he believed that Myspace was the most important way that young people like him found out how to participate in the immigration rallies. (His girlfriend uses Myspace; that’s how she and her friends found out.
- I’ve learned Gang Basics 101, including information about the Norteños, Sudeños, and Brown Priders.
- I cannot fathom doing at my age some of the things these teens have done: stealing mom’s car and leaving it on the freeway when it ran out of gas, experimenting with crystal meth and cocaine, being diagnosed with chlamydia. Thanks, OP!
Thank you for this post. I could really feel what you were saying.
came here after the mention in the US News and world report. I’m sure you’ll get a lot of hits like mine in the up coming days. You’re humor on the medical subject really shines through even simple observations. (by the way myspace can be addictive to us adults too. I started a few weeks ago after hearing about it on The Daily Show and now go there everyday). And yes I’m sure the generation before ours also thought we were quite open about our sexual and or drug use when we were younger (it wasn’t THAT long ago).
Myspace is a very interesting fad. I’m following along intently.
I too, am amazed and what some kids today will do. I never thought I’d say this, because while I would love to shave about 5-7 years off my age and do things drastically differently than I did, without a doubt I am glad that I grew up and when to high school when I did. The way things are today is just so…foreign to me.
I recently made a myspace account and amazingly, it’s actually mostly adults (20-30ish year olds) who are using it. Add the many popular bands and artists who are marketing on myspace and well, it gets crazy.
But if you thought myspace was crazy, you haven’t checked out sconx. (sconx.com)