Children in New York can be jailed as adults and held in solitary confinement for years at a time.
Kalief Browder was just 16 when he was sent to the huge and notorious Rikers Island jail in New York.
His alleged crime? Stealing a backpack.
He turned 17 while on remand… and 18, 19 and 20. 800 days of that time was spent in solitary confinement.
He was in a cage, and then not only are you isolated, but you have handcuffs and shackles, his brother Akeem tells Dateline's Meggie Palmer. So youre an animal. It was meant as a torture tactic.
My brother - a kid - wasn't even old enough to make his own decision on most things in the world like drinking, or even being considered an adult enough to drive, he says. Why should you be treated as an adult in the criminal justice system? It doesn't make sense.
The charges were eventually dropped, he was released… and took his own life.
Now, even President Obama is taking a stand and fighting to end solitary confinement for juveniles.
