Tough Talk Steers Teens Away From Crime, Jail

(Reflector.com, June 12) The average age of a county detention center in North Carolina has continued to drop through the years, with more teens and young people than older inmates. According to one of the prison ministers, out of 10 recent inmates, the oldest was 18. He tries to explain to the teens that "it will only take one bad choice to change the rest of your life forever." For example, if someone is driving in a car with others who have drugs in the car, and are pulled over, the teens might not admit whose drugs they belong to. However, the actual owner of the drugs will blame someone else, causing the others to end up with a criminal record. READ MORE.