Photographer Documents Life for Young Girls Inside Detention

Photo by Richard Ross

Approximately 30 percent of the country’s incarcerated youth are young girls—a rapidly growing group whose needs are not being met, according to significant research and practice indicating the juvenile justice system is catered towards boys.

Photographer Richard Ross has sought to display this through images. Over the past eight years, Ross has visited more than 200 facilities in 34 states and been given rare access to interview and photograph more than 1,000 young people in detention.

His work has resulted in two books Juvenile in Justice and the more recently released Girls in Justice—a close look at the daily lives of young women in juvenile facilities.

Photo by Richard Ross

PBS NewsHour recently interviewed Ross on his latest collection of powerful photos, sharing a photo essay with commentary from Ross:

Ross said most of the young females he interviewed had remarkably similar stories. Few had committed serious crimes, and many had been the victims of either sexual or physical abuse before their arrest…

The stories he’s heard have been heartwrenching. Among countless stories of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, one 14 year-old girl recounted being raped at age 3, another admitted to being suicidal.

When asked what surprised Ross most about his project, he didn’t hesitate: “How many times I’ve cried,” he said.

See the full photo essay and interview on PBS.