Meeting the Challenges Faced by Girls in the Juvenile Justice System: Rachel Carrion

Summary

Rachel Carrion shares her traumatic journey through the New York juvenile justice system, beginning with her arrest at 15 for fighting, exacerbated by her mother's death. She recounts abuse and neglect in detention, leading to drug addiction and prostitution. After giving birth, she found hope in faith-based rehab programs like Teen Challenge and Odyssey House, where she received proper treatment and support. Now a peer educator and advocate, Rachel urges the committee to improve juvenile facilities' safety and treatment standards.

Takeaways

• 😢 Rachel Carrion started using marijuana at 15 to cope with her mother's death.
• 👊 She got into a fight and was arrested, which led to her involvement with the juvenile justice system.
• 🔒 She was sent to an Alternative to Detention (ATD) program but failed to maintain a clean record and was remanded to a facility.
• 😣 At the facility, she witnessed and experienced violence among residents and staff.
• 🤝 She had an inappropriate relationship with a male staff member who provided her with contraband.
• 🚫 The staff member was fired due to a positive drug test, not their relationship.
• 🌿 Her addiction was not treated, leading to a worsening of her behavior and drug use.
• 🏠 She left home, became a prostitute to support her drug habit, and became pregnant.
• 🏥 She was eventually placed in a faith-based treatment facility, Teen Challenge, and later moved to Odyssey House.
• 🎓 At Odyssey House, she received one-on-one counseling, group support, and eventually obtained her GED.
• 🌟 Rachel is now a peer educator, advocate, board member, and plans to become a substance abuse counselor while attending college.

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