IN: the kids aren't all right

Courtesy of Liz at I Speak of Dreams, a series in the Indianapolis Star on problems in the county juvenile justice system:

Danger zone - A system intended to rehabilitate kids has its own problems: overcrowding, lack of due process, sex abuse charges

Defenseless children - Young defendants often lack legal counsel

Juveniles in Marion County and the rest of Indiana routinely have their rights to legal representation waived before consulting with a public defender or private lawyer. Parents are allowed to waive their children's rights to a lawyer -- even when they are the ones pressing charges.

Yet, even with an attorney, a juvenile isn't guaranteed a fair hearing. "In the juvenile system, you are at the mercy of the prosecutor and the judge," says Larry Landis, executive director of the Indiana Public Defender Council. "You don't have any checks and balances..."