Juvenile Detention Center Reflection

I am beyond thankful for the experience I have received at the Juvenile Detention Center in Peoria, Illinois. I can confidently say that I have learned more about culture, diversity, and privilege in these past four months than I ever have before. The community I grew up in was populated with white people as the majority ethnic group. Growing up, I wasn’t surrounded by diverse populations, but the hands-on experience with students who have different backgrounds than me has taught me a lot. I was nervous in the beginning because I have never been inside of a juvenile detention center and I did not know what to expect. However, my mind was changed once I met the kids and staff. After a few weeks went by I was connecting with the kids and forming relationships with them. I would listen to

I was able to talk with the kids at the Juvenile Detention Center about their actions inside school and outside on the streets. They all had similar answers and told me that the environment is completely different. Lisa Delpit states, “When a significant difference exists between the students’ culture and the school’s culture, teachers can easily misread students’ aptitude, intent, or abilities as a result of the difference in styles of language use and interactional patterns” (Delpit 167). This exact statement in the reading was what I experienced. At the Juvenile Detention Center, more than half of the staff are not from the same culture and background as the kids. There were multiple times where a staff member did not understand what the child was stating and instead of asking them what they meant they decided to issue them a negative consequence. I also witnessed stereotyping and racial comments from the kids and from the staff. I believe that miscommunication and culture differences is what is causing negative behavior and weak relationships inside of the Juvenile Detention