Voices from Lock-Up: Reflections of Detained Youth

This thesis uses critical theory perspectives and qualitative research methodology to explore the experiences of a group of incarcerated juveniles in a short term jail setting. The researcher seeks to better understand the perspective of the selected juveniles, track their current social and legal situations, as well as gather information about their thoughts on the experiences of being detained and educated in a maximum security facility. While the participants in this study have differing legal and social history before and after their incarceration, they all received self-contained special education services while at the Savannah Regional Youth Detention Center. This thesis will explore the thoughts the participants themselves had about this experience, supplementing the dearth of available research in this area