'All the wrongdoings and punishments that I have experienced made me realize that this [abuse] did not start with me but it has been going on long before my time,' he said. 'It made us lose hope. It discouraged us a lot, you know.'
Attempted suicides, suicidal behavior and self-harm have increased since the consent decree was signed and the DJJ was released from the lawsuit. Since 2016, there have been at least 28 attempted suicides.
...
'Young people don’t fare well when they’re in large congregate facilities like the DJJ,' Washburn said. 'Community-based services that are culturally rooted, close to home, involve families, rather than exclude them — that’s what works.'