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(Martin Griff/The Times of Trenton)

Throw an unstable kid into a cell the size of a bathroom, with little or no human contact, and don't be surprised when he acts like an animal. Send him to adult prison with hardened criminals 10 years his senior, and they'll school him in even more antisocial behavior.

We don't want to punish kids in ways that only make them more damaged. Research has shown that what is done to them in prison is one of the best predictors of what they will do to us when they get out.

That's why the bill up for a floor vote in the state Senate on Monday, sponsored by Sen. Nellie Pou (D-Passaic), is so important. It doesn't just put new restrictions on the use of solitary for juveniles -- it also sets stricter rules for waiving them to adult court and transferring them to adult prison.

Incredibly, today, a kid as young as 14 years old can be waived to adult court in New Jersey, for a relatively minor offense like stealing cars or hacking a computer. That's crazy. We need to make sure we are putting kids with hard-bitten adults only in the most extreme of circumstances.

Children in adult prisons are more likely to fall prey to sexual assault and other violence. And we should never be putting them in solitary confinement. Other states don't. Kids stuck in "the box" can show serious signs of mental decay, including depression, hallucinations and psychosis.

We created a juvenile system because research suggests that 90 percent of children can be rehabilitated. So let's use it. This bill would raise the minimum age at which a child can be waived to 15, and say adult court is possible only for the most serious crimes, like murder. If a kid is ultimately acquitted of that crime and found guilty of only a minor offense, the bill would bump the case back to the juvenile system, where it belongs.

The proposal also sets stricter rules for transferring juveniles to adult lockups. Currently, kids aren't transferred automatically. The standard is that it must be necessary to protect public safety, the safety of other kids or the operation of the facility. But youths can still be transferred without a lawyer, a hearing, or even prior notice.

We need to make sure an 18th birthday doesn't become an excuse to dispose of a kid the corrections officers are sick of. State prison should be reserved only for the very worst of the worst. So under this bill, a juvenile can't be transferred without being notified, given a lawyer and a hearing before an impartial decision-maker.

Tighter limits will also be imposed on solitary in the juvenile system. It can only be used if all other options have been exhausted, a kid poses an immediate risk to others or the security of the facility, and it will not hurt his or her mental or physical health.

The maximum number of days in "the box" for the youngest kids is reduced from five to two -- with no more than 8 consecutive waking hours without being allowed out for a break.

Is this a perfect bill? No. There are places it could go further. If New York City eliminated solitary at Rikers for anyone age 21 or younger, why is it still being used at youth facilities in New Jersey? And a judge should have the discretion to deny a waiver to adult court. Under this bill, the power still lies with prosecutors, which leaves too much room for abuse.

Still, this is very meaningful reform, and lawmakers should vote for it. We've tried locking kids up and throwing away the key. It hasn't worked. Time to try something new.

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