he's a very dangerous person and he needs to remain detained. >> man, i shouldn't have got here, man. >> i am telling you that that is the option. >> i'm telling you, i'm definitely going to violent my probation. >> what's that supposed to mean? >> he reached out, had a governor palin, had it at my chest. >> if two years of placement didn't help you change your ways, i'm not so certain any more time here is going to do anything for you. so today what i'm going to do is -- >> i have a lot of years to

live. if i keep messing around with this, i'm going to end up dead or in jail. ♪ i want to go home, i want to go home, man. >> don't worry. >> i can't do it. i can't do it. >> you made a wrong decision. okay? but it's not the end of the world. you'll get over this, you know? you're not supposed to like it here. this isn't the hill. >> unfortunately what he wants is just to be with mom. what every kid wants, you know.

and it has him very upset. >> it's the brothers. you two are brothers? >> some weeks ago, we had did some stuff over at the bus station, but they just now coming to get us. >> there are few places in this world more tightly secured than the closed confines of america's juvenile justice system. but for some kids, the revolving door of lockup seems to snag one generation after the next. >> my dad, he's not there. so right now, my mom and my six sisters and my nieces and nephews, and they don't have no man of the house to teach them what's right or what's wrong. it has been hard. >> 30 miles south of chicago,

this judge presides over a numbing juvenile docket. 3200 cases this year alone. it is her job to make sure the kids that come here leave here and forget there's a chance of graduating to the adult system. >> some children are born into a situation that's a bad one. in some neighborhoods it is almost like do unto others before they do it to you. for those of us not raised in those types of neighborhoods, it is difficult to understand, but sometimes it's just survival that they get out there and have to perpetrate before they're perpetrated against. >> for years, msnbc has been documenting stories that unfold in america's juvenile justice system. with extraordinary access from the indiana supreme court, we're about to go inside a world where cameras are by law forbidden to go. >> you guys are world's dumbest criminals. got you on video. >> it was 40 vehicles all together, and they had been

doing it over three-month period. two ran sack the cars and broke in, two on each street corner watching the police won't come. what they fail to understand is there are cameras. all we had to do was put the face with the name. >> had a picture of me. my mom was like no, because on the picture, don't look like me. they were like we about to charge you for lying to the police, because i'm on probation, too. so they said if i don't turn myself in, they won't give me momma six years. very mad at myself. i wish i never done the things i did. >> is it kenneth or kentrell? >> his name kentrell, i'm kenneth. >> they hail from the streets of gary, indiana, birthplace of the jackson 5, and two time murder capital of the world. nearly 50% of all kids in gary

live below the poverty level, more than twice the national average. >> you need to know there's a good chance you might not go home monday. >> why? >> you're currently on probation, have an open complaint. >> i didn't do that. >> but come monday, the judge makes the decision whether or not you can go home. there's a good chance you need to know that. >> many times, intake department staff see the same faces over and over again, despite kids' previous promises they'll never return to the system. >> this is your sixth complaint. no, actually, this will be yo your seventh complaint. and two weeks later and you're here. he has a quiet reserve about him. for somebody that has a history like that, like his disposition doesn't add up. >> i'm looking at your history here. i see that you first got arrested when you were 11 years old. >> yes. >> his dad is incarcerated for

dealing crack, he said. and then a month later you were arrested for mischief, battery, consumption, intimidation, robbery and theft. >> mom, there's ten kids, it's a large family. five have been here. so that tells me, you know, he has seen a lot. there's more to the story. >> allen did the intake on your brother, tells me you accidently shot him in the stomach last year. >> that's when i was 11. >> that's when you were 11 you accidentally did that? wow. >> that's enough to get in the juvenile system. >> do you still think about that? >> always. >> i hope he get out. he ain't never been in this situation like this where he had to come here and do no days, he don't know how to react in here.

he don't know what to do and consequences and stuff if you do something bad in here. >> read these rules. his brother is here as well. i don't know where you want to put him at. >> still a little kid. he don't need to be in here. >> take your glasses off, too. you squat down, cough twice. one more. cough twice. >> have to make sure he separated. i can't put him with his brother. >> put him there, put his brother in the lower spot. >> keep them separated so that when court comes, they can't get their stories to match, they can't lie. that's why we keep them separated. so he won't see his brother until his court date. >> to paint a richer picture of lake county, indiana and the juvenile delinquency population,

you have to head to the blue collar town of hobart. >> he had a bench warrant. he failed to appear in court. he had a criminal mischief and two counts of violation of probation. his mother was present. his probation officer was present, but he was not, so -- >> i was walking down the street. i guess i had a bench warrant for not appearing in court and a cop knew me by face and turned around and picked me up. >> the nurse said you can have an extra blanket to roll up to keep your arm up, okay, while you're in your room. he told me when i asked what happened to his arm that he was robbing a drug dealer and he stated that he was trying to be good to keep the drugs off the street. >> well, i have a reputation as a drug dealer. a gang member. just a bad kid. >> now that i'm 18, that should

be dropped, won't it? >> no. >> won't it? >> no. that's what juveniles think. it is up to the judge, but -- he didn't come to court thinking i turn 18, everything is going to be dropped, that's the misconception the juveniles have. they think once they're 18 everything goes away, and that's not the truth. >> you're not really behaving yourself now. >> yeah, i am. i ain't got in no trouble in a couple months. >> besides this. >> i have run away from home when i was 17, just wasn't talking to my mom, wasn't getting along real well. so i didn't go to that court date because i wasn't at home. >> tell me exactly what happened to your arm. >> one of my boys told me that this drug dealer was trying to get with this lady, so i had this lady set him up, i was going to grab him, take his weed. >> how did you have the lady set him up? >> he was trying to get with her, then she called him over, and said that her boy wanted some weed. when she gave him a hug, i

started hitting him. >> hitting him with what, your fist? >> yeah. then he pulled out the gun from under the seat and shot me. >> and they decided not to charge you with attempted robbery? >> i like the rush of seeing how close i can get to getting caught without actually getting caught. i don't know why i like to do that. >> that's stupid. i know you're black mailing me and i'm not going to do it. it is stupid, mom. >> you being here isn't? >> that wasn't a stray bullet that entered his arm, it was a purposeful act in response devon was doing of a criminal nature. looking good! you lost some weight.

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from 1995 to 2002, juvenile rates for robbery dropped a staggering 62%. unfortunately, that statistic didn't last. by 2006, robbery rates for juveniles jumped 43% from their all-time low.

>> what? i was driving, dude, got the lead, started stealing off him. he reaches over the seat, pulls out a governor palin, had it aimed at my chest, but i moved at the last minute and it hit me in the arm. >> it is not an armed robbery that has devon starky this time. this 18-year-old an adult in the eyes of the law is seeing a judge for failing to appear at his last court hearing when he was still a kid. he's walking a fine line. the judge could dismiss him monday from the juvenile system or take the extreme system of waving him to adult court. >> i had multiple violations. i have been locked up three of the past four years. three of the past four years. that's a lot of my childhood. >> you got to be tired of this, man. >> i done seen this guy four or five times. he's basically one of those

incidents where practically raised the kid. >> teenage years down the drain. this is the time i'm supposed to have the most fun of my life. i have been inside these damn cells. >> seep a lot of kids come in and out the system, lot of them i got close to that have unfortunately got killed. different situations, something they initiated or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. >> this gunshot wound, man, that kind of turned me around. made me kind of thing, man, i was this close to being killed and i'm only 18. i want to do something with my life. i'm tired of coming into this damn place. >> while boys represent three-quarters of all juvenile arrests, girls aren't immune to the system. >> there's a lot more male residents than female since i have been here eight years ago, it has always been like that. we may have ten girls to 80 boys. >> nationally, girls makeup a

quarter of the juvenile population, but 58% of all run away cases involve girls. >> i know if i were you, i would probably want to go home, shower, and put on some of my own clothes. >> my own underwear. >> my own underwear, and a bra that fits. >> this 15-year-old is serving time in detention for running away, resisting arrests. like clock work, her mom shows up for visitation every night, hoping she can get through to sidney before her approaching court date. >> why are you picking them? >> because i feel like it. >> why are you so angry? >> i'm not. i'm playing with the orange piece of thread. >> so if you do get out, what are we going to do? >> well, i'm probably going to be -- it's not like i'm going to be here forever, i am getting out soon. >> you can go back to school shortly after that. >> i told you, i'm not going to high land. i told you the one school i will

not go to is highland. >> that's the one school district we live in. >> so? >> again, there's no alternatives. >> yeah, there is. i'll go to another school. i don't want to go to highland. i hate everyone in it. >> i am telling you that that was the option at this point. >> i'm telling you i am not going to that school. i'm definitely going to violent my probation. >> what's that supposed to mean. >> don't worry about it. >> what's that supposed to mean? >> don't worry about it. >> you know you can't go to the judge with that attitude. >> you're not black mailing me. you're not going to do it. that's stupid, mom. >> you being here isn't? >> not really. >> juvenile courts are set up to allow kids to do certain things in their life that they later don't have to have held against them, you know, like making the mistake for the first time, and okay, let's shake it off, move on, and that's hopefully what a juvenile court does for kids who

have a harder time figuring out what the right path is. ♪ >> i can't stop getting behind the wheel, like i was walking down the street, i seen somebody left the keys in the ignition, i took that car, too. >> a need for speed. >> people who was in places like this ain't just bad kids, they just make bad choices at that time. >> y'all, been in two high speed chases. three, four. >> do something bad, because we get bored, ain't got no type of activities, no clubs, no fun centers or nothing out here. that's why people, they just trying to have fun, even though it's breaking the law. they think of it as having fun. >> how many guys are ready to make a change in your life today? i want you to raise your hand and hold it differently.

>> every day i think about how to survive when i go outside. if i'm going to be able to come back home basically. >> but you know what? the minute you show up at someone's house and someone pops a cold brew in your face, what are you going to do? exactly. we got one honest person in here. >> i need to be in different environment, less violence happening, less bad activities going on in the neighborhood. that's where i think i need to be. >> i acknowledge, lord, that you've done everything for me by dying on the cross. by raising from the dead. ♪ >> been through so many of these court dates. i don't know. i mean, right now, in my head it's a 50/50, detained or

released. you think about it, a judge, the prosecutor, that's a lot of people to go against when you're just by yourself. when you sleep in here, you always think about what's going to happen in court, like what they going to say, what they going to do to you, if they going to detain you or if they going to release you. >> i can't be doing this. i'm 18 years old. i got a lot of years to live, and if i keep messing around with this, i'm going to end up dead or in jail. >> i know, kenneth, you want to leave and i would like to give you a break here, but in light of this is your sixth referral to this court in the year of 2008. they're made from whole roasted nuts and dipped in creamy peanut butter, making your craving for a sweet & salty bar irresistible, by nature valley.

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to see the judge. >> here you always think about your court dates, you think about what's going to happen in court, like what they going to say, what they going to do to you. >> luckily for 17-year-old kenneth and his 14-year-old brother kentrell who is also here at lake county juvenile, they are not alone in their desire to be released and september home. attorney don ruck represents kids in court. >> i think the perception or misperception of juvenile court is that it is similar to the adult court. the reality is that the system is more concerned about getting kids rehabilitated and giving them an opportunity to not have this happen again, as opposed to just locking somebody up. one of the challenges we're going to have is convincing the court and the judge in particular that despite you having been here before and not learned your lesson that you're going to learn your lesson this time, and not get into trouble again. so kentrell, help me understand some of the things that are going on in your life that help

demonstrate that. >> playing ball. >> where do you play ball at? >> at the court. >> tell me a little about that. what do you do, what position do you play? >> i just play ball. >> and what else do you do besides playing basketball? >> i just wish he hadn't got into this. still a little kid. i pray every day i hope he get out. >> i know you're a quiet person. you have to make a decision if you want to stay in here or not, because it will put both you guys on the stand, ask you guys some questions, and the prosecutor will have a chance to ask you guys some questions. she is tough. her job is to protect society from people who commit crimes and people who commit crimes repeatedly. that's what she sees in you two right now, okay, let's be frank. if the judge thinks you're an on-going threat and you're still

a danger, get used to this place. >> what you doing? >> a bench warrant. >> what did you do for that? >> not go to court. >> that's what i'm talking about. what you not go to court for? >> probation. >> what were you on probation for? >> i been on probation like five years. i'm not too worried about these court dates. i don't know, now that i'm 18, legally they can't hold me no more than 120 days. as soon as i get this legal trouble out of the way, i know i'm going to have a good life. i have all of the essential tools and capabilities to carry me anywhere i want to go. but it's just me finding a way

to use them. >> monday morning means court is back in session. those detained downstairs in the detention center are shackled for their own safety and the safety of those bringing them to the juvenile court wing. >> no talking in the hall way. >> on judge bon a venture's docket, two different but equally heavy hearings. the case of two brothers who have been in detention over and over, but still could face years in the juvenile system. then devon who at 18 will stand in the judge's courtroom one last time. if he gets locked up again, it will be an adult jail. >> i wish i could go back to when i was 10 years old with the knowledge i have now. i could be anywhere if i wouldn't have messed with the drugs. >> do you think the kids want to you come home? >> i want him to come home, but it's for the best. >> i said no, i can't let you in the house. then i found out he was shot.

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hello, i'm melissa rehberger. early winter storm is blanketing the northeast with a foot of slushy snow. more than a million without power in new york, new jersey, connecticut. the snow causing dangerous driving conditions in some places and all major airports report delays. 12 americans were killed in afghanistan when a carloaded with explosives slammed into their armored personnel carrier. more news later. now back to "lockup." it is court day at lake county juvenile. and though the hearing is not open to the public, the indiana supreme court has given us special permission to show what goes on behind the closed doors of the juvenile justice system. today, judge bonaventure decides which kids will be detained and which will go home with their parents. >> ken, i want to let you know i talked this morning with your

sister, apparently your mother was having some hypertension or high blood pressure, some heart problems this morning, can't be here today. i don't know if she went to the hospital or what the circumstances are, but i talked to your sister, and your sister supposedly is coming, although she was supposed to be here at 8:30 and she is not here yet. it's now about noon. so that's the update on things. is there something you want me to tell your sister when i talk to her again? she's supposed to call me back in a few minutes. >> tell hersey needs to bring my mom up here. i need my mom up here. >> i'll let her know. hang tight a little longer. we'll see if your mother and sister can get here, we can get to court, okay?

♪ >> come on, guys, best behavior. you don't act right in court, no way a judge will trust you to behave in society, okay? on the left, on the left side here. your sister is here. >> do you swear or affirm the testimony given today is the truth, nothing but the truth, so help you god? >> yes. >> be seated. >> do you have any witnesses to call on behalf of the boys? >> i call octavia to the stand. your mother is not here. >> yes. >> tell us for what reason. >> my mom is going through blood pressure and just diagnosed with cancer. she was sick last night. i had to take her to the hospital. from that point i had to stay with the kids, so -- >> how many brothers and sisters do you have.

>> besides us? >> yes. >> right now there are nine. >> are you the oldest? >> i am the oldest girl, yes. >> is their dad in the picture? >> he was until about four months ago, he's incarcerated. kenneth is the one that's been the man of the house, you know, he is really our backbone. >> no questions, judge. >> ken, we spoke yesterday about what the court is here today to decide, that is whether you should stay detained or whether you should be released. >> i should be released because i know i ain't a bad kid, i ain't no harm to nobody. i just made a bad decision at that moment, and i know i did something wrong, but i know i could fix it. now i know that life is serious and life is about me being at home, being with my family than being locked up. >> kenneth, how many times have

you been on probation with this court? >> twice. >> are you on probation right now? >> yes. >> is getting involved in criminal acts a violation of probation? >> yes, ma'am. >> i have no further questions, judge. >> as related to kentrell, this is his fourth criminal delinquency. presently he has an attempted robbery, a b felony if he were an adult, criminal recklessness, a d felony, and attempted robbery is a b felony tells me either a weapon was used or a victim was seriously injured. as related to kenneth gant, this is his sixth criminal delinquency referral. he is obviously not following the rules of probation. i ask they both remain detained as serious dangers to this community. >> judge, a preference in any case like this when children are being detained, rather than stay locked up they go home, and i would suggest to the court to release them home. it may not be the home that we

all think is the best environment, but it's their home. >> the probation officer has weighed in and has indicated to the court that he feels both boys should be detained as a danger to the community because of the repeated acts of delinquency. what i'm going to do today is order that they remain detained, pending the next hearing. any questions? >> no, judge. >> then these hearings are adjourned. these are two boys, certainly the younger brother following in the older brother's footsteps. the oldest boy, six times he has been detained here, six times. and the mom is not here today, and she may or may not be ill, i have no idea. there's no supervision, and i think tomorrow they would be out on the street. they don't know any different. if six incarcerations don't

change your behavior, one overnighter is not going to do it. i think eventually they will end up hurting somebody, if not themselves. >> both staying, detained. >> going to bonaventure. >> state your name, please. >> devon starky. >> how old are you, devon? >> i'm 18. >> all right. we're here today because devon was arrested on a bench warrant which was issued by this court. it says here devon starky's whereabouts have been unknown by lake county juvenile probation department. further that he has failed to attend his court ordered counseling. and lastly, that he failed to attend an educational program on a regular basis. all right. want to have a seat up here, please? >> you were ordered by the court to attend counseling, is that correct? >> yes, ma'am. >> did you attend counseling? >> i had left the home and was trying to live on my own, so i didn't attend from april to june. >> let's talk about why you left the home.

why did you leave your mother's home? >> the reason i left, we started getting into arguments. i was getting into a little bit of trouble. i started smoking weed again and i left the home because i was scared that when i did go to court, these would be brought up, and i would end up getting in trouble. >> what were you thinking that was going to happen to this case, devon? >> i was thinking upon my 18th birthday, it would just be dropped, but as the case is, it isn't. >> as it relates to your arm in the sling, what happened to you, devon? >> well, while i was on my own, i was hanging with the wrong group of people, i got myself into a situation where i got shot. >> so you are very lucky that you're alive, aren't you? >> yes, ma'am. >> you indicated that you wanted to take devon home with you today? >> yes, i do. >> do you think he learned his lesson this time? >> i really do. he almost died. i almost lost my son. i had to give him some tough love. and my tough love was he

couldn't come home, and for two weeks prior to him being shot, he came to me for two weeks, begging mom, please, let me come home, please, i'll straighten up, mom, please, and i wouldn't let him. i said no. i can't do that. i can't let you in the house. and then i find out he was shot. >> so on this monday, the judge has found it is in the best interest for kenneth and kentrell to be detained until the next court hearing. will devon's mother's pleas and his age be enough to convince the judge it is time for him to come home? >> he is on the verge of doing something horrible in his life and taken from you forever or on the verge of turning that corner. for her neighbour's tennis instructor's daughter's 1st grade teacher who's also her mom. help fund breast cancer programs in your community. redeem your lids today

dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic center recommends the custom-fit orthotic that's best for your tired feet. foot-care scientists are behind it. you'll get all-day relief. for your tired achy feet. for locations, see drscholls.com. thank you... in 1998, senior judge mary bet bon a venture advocated for the building in this courthouse to replace the original facility. her demand, better facilities for kids and families.

>> the family support in these hearings or in general with the kids, whether in the hearing or outside the hearing is monumental. i think if there was one single thing i could point to to be able to predict the successor failure of a young person is the family involvement and support. >> sounds like for about four years now the court has been involved not only with his life but obviously your life as well. >> uh-huh. >> and so he's turned 18 now. you're a family that's had a lot of intervention and pretty quickly here there will be none. >> we are there to back him up 100%. i do have a lot of family support. everybody is pulling for him, you know. but he has to pull for himself. >> judge, i'm really torn. everybody is tap dancing around the shooting of devon. that wasn't a stray bullet that entered his arm, it was a

purposeful act in response to something devon was doing of a criminal nature. we also have problems he is an adult now. if he sits here three or four months, i don't know what that's going to do for him. >> i don't either. i agree 120 days here, if two years in placement didn't help you change your ways, i'm not so certain that any more time here is going to do anything for you, but hopefully getting shot in the arm has. you know, everything happens for a reason, at least i believe it does. today what i'm going to do is today i'm going to grant this petition to modify your probation and order you be released to the custody of your mother today. >> thank you. >> and i order you are released from probation, all right? >> thank you. >> any questions? >> no. >> this hearing is adjourned. >> thank you. >> i was a little surprised that she gave me one last break. >> if he was 14, i would be doing something totally different, i'm sure.

>> you got a good break. >> i know. >> how long have i known you now. you have been coming here since you were this big when i first met you, 13 or 14. >> we've done all we can do. he needs to begin his adult life and accept the consequences for whatever his actions become now in his adult life. >> are you going home? >> yes. >> huh? >> hope so. >> you hope so? >> i been hanging in. i been praying every day, reading the bible every day. >> what's your po saying? >> i don't know. >> did they give you a recommendation? >> i don't know. what i think would be fair if she gave me and my brother one

more chance, but anything but boys school placement and lake county jail. >> call your first witness. >> judge, i call kentrell's mother to the stand. >> the brothers' chances of being released are greater now that their mother is in court. there are no juries in the system. the judge has the final say what's best for the kids and the community. >> are you able to take them home today and provide the oversite and support they would need if released today? >> yes. >> tell us how would you be able to provide the structure to your sons so that they wouldn't get in any more trouble. >> for one, i'm going to keep them in the house, because i don't want to see them on the streets, i don't want them getting hurt, i don't want them to do the wrong things. i been trying to teach them, but

they goes out in the streets and they listen to their friends and get in trouble. but i want them to come home because their brothers and sisters miss them, too. >> anything else you would like to say? >> no. >> miss gant, what are you going to do differently. he had four referrals to juvenile court this year alone. >> i'm going to take control over them. >> how are you going to do that? >> i'm going to be a harder parent. >> so you don't have any plan in action for it to change. you just think it is going to change. >> no, i know it is going to change. >> what is the plan of action? >> i'm going to put my foot down. >> so you didn't before, you let them do what they wanted before? >> i didn't let them do anything they want to do. i tell them to do the right thing, but they take it on themself to do what they wants to do when they outside my house. when they in my house, they do

what i tell them to do. >> so kenneth defies you. >> sometimes. >> i have no further questions. >> the probation department is recommending that they remain detained and be ordered to complete a psychological evaluation. also in the neighborhood, i talked to mom about this, a lot of gang activity on the street they live on, and i believe that they are affiliated with the gangs, a lot of drug activity as well. i discussed that with her. i strongly recommend they remain detained pending the psychological evaluations. >> anything else? >> yes, judge. regarding kentrell, the state would definitely concur with mr. smith's recommendation. he is a very dangerous person, and he needs to remain detained. as far as mr. gant, state also feels he's a very dangerous person, and i think the court cannot take the chance he may cause another person harm and he needs to remain detained as a danger to the community also. >> judge, we agree with the

psychological component of the recommendation, but i would like the opportunity to argue that they should no longer be detained while the case pends. >> the decision is not an easy one for the judge, and answers won't come overnight. services need to be ordered, placement options explored, and ultimately she must decide if it is in everyone's best interest to send the boys home while all this is in motion. >> well, today of course the court will order that both boys have a psychological evaluation. i know kenneth that you want to leave. i read the letter you wrote to the court about your girlfriend having a baby soon. i'm certain you would like to be there as you told me in your letter, and i would like to give you a break here, but in light of this is the sixth referral in the year of 2008, the court will order you remain detained pending the next hearing, and that you may be a danger to yourself and the community. as relates to kentrell, the court also orders him remain detained, this is his fourth referral to the court, these are

serious charges, and for all those reasons, the court will find he may be a danger to himself and the community and both are detained pending the next hearing on september 5th. this hearing is adjourned. thank you. >> okay. >> i don't like anybody to be in pain, certainly not kids. i love them. i have been doing this job for 26 years. the work is heartbreaking. but there is no more work more important than the work in a juvenile court. >> i can't do it, man. looking good! you lost some weight.

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now, since we were in court several weeks ago, what has happened? >> several weeks ago we ordered a psychological evaluation to be completed. both evaluations were completed. with kentrell, we did decide

that at this time in the best interest of the community and for himself that he be placed in a residential treatment facility. >> with respect now to kenneth, why don't you tell us about what your recommendation is. >> we also agreed that he needs residential placement to meet his needs. >> you're not recommending they go home with their mother? >> not at this time. >> that's all i have, judge. >> all right. >> i have no further questions. >> did you want to speak or no? >> i can't. >> you want to try? i can ask you the questions very simply. >> judge, i call their mother briefly for a couple of quick questions. now, you understand there's a

recommendation that both your sons be placed in a residential placement for the purpose of receiving a variety of services and educational tools and things like that. >> yes. >> what did you want to say with respect to those options? >> do you think the kids should come home with you today? >> it's for the best. i want them to come home, but if they need help, i agree with that. >> you leave it to the court to decide? >> yes. >> thank you, mrs. gant. you can have a seat. >> judge, there is no argument that kentrell needs some type of therapeutic placement. the psychological evaluation shows that kentrell has some

significant mental health needs. my problem with kenneth is that he's committed numerous acts of delinquency. that's what indiana boys school is meant to address. then you factor in he had constantly provided to him and hasn't been amenable to the counseling. he has a track record, and the track record isn't very good at this point. you know, it is a serious matter for this court to decide that it's going to invest itself in a child to the extent that this county and this court is being asked to invest themself in kenneth, and i don't see that there's going to be a lot of bang for our buck to be perfectly honest. i think he's a dangerous person. i think he should be committed to indiana boys school. >> well, i would agree that i think indiana boys school can address a lot of the issues that kenneth is facing.

but i know this much. if he were in the adult system, he would not be able to receive the treatment and the rehabilitation and the services that the juvenile court is designed to provide to children like kenneth and like kentrell. the state and the taxpayers are going to pay, whether we send to department of correction or send them to placement. and maybe we won't get the bang for the buck as you described it, but i'm going to still put my faith in the juvenile court system and that i think we can do and do a better job with kids than the adult system can do and going to jail will do for him. i would love nothing more than to send both boys home to you, mrs. gant, that would be the ideal thing, but you as a mom, which is why you're crying your heart out, knows that's not the right thing. kenneth is on the verge of doing something really horrible in his life and taken from you forever or he's on the verge of turning that corner. maybe if we hold his hand, help him turn that corner, he'll be

able to do that. today, what i'm going to do is make him a ward of the court and order he be placed appropriately, but i will set his matter for review in three months in any event. as it relates to kentrell. i think this is a young man that probably the juvenile court system was designed for in some respects. i couldn't let him walk away from us without trying to get him to a point where he's at least literate and can function in some type of a job. so today the court is going to make him a ward of the court and order he be placed at idtc, stands for indiana developmental training center of indianapolis. this hearing is adjourned. >> man. >> man, they don't care about us, man.

>> this is bull bleep. >> don't say it. >> i can't do it, man. [ crying ] >> i truly feel that this was the time for us to intervene, and it is sort of like a now or never situation for them. they're either getting help now or they're never going to get the help.