Richard Ross / www.juvenile-in-justice.com
The new, LEED certified juvenile detention facility in Olathe, Kansas.
Last month, Richard Ross, the creator of Juvenile In Justice, visited and photographed two juvenile detention facilities in Olathe, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City. This week the photos are featured on Bokeh, JJIE's multimedia site.
Through the lens of architecture, the photographs investigate changes and reforms in the state's detention practices. The two facilities, one old and one new, are situated across from one another. The new facility, the Johnson County Youth and Family Services Center, is an airy LEED-certified building. Ross describes the older facility, Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center, as having architecture reminiscent of TV movies dealing with punishment.
Ross' photographs are a compelling examination of space and privilege in juvenile detention in the nation's heartland.
See the full series here: http://bokeh.jjie.org/changing-confinement-culture-in-olathe-kansas/