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Abstract: 

An article by Omaha World-Herald columnist Erin Grace brought the story of Jacob Rusher to national attention. At the age of 15, Jacob was taken to the Douglas County Youth Center with a brokern ankle he suffered in a struggle with school officials. At 180 pounds, Jacob seemed like a man—and the methods used to manage him, which would have been questionable even with an adult, had devastating consequences when used on a 15-year old boy. Jacob was subjected to repeated stays in solitary confinement, sometimes for two weeks, sometimes for as long as 41 days, with psychological effects that included instense feelings of confusion, anger, and abandonment. This article examines experience of Jacob Rusher and ways of avoiding its repetition with other similar cases.

Keywords: Jacob Rusher; Douglas County Youth Center; solitary confinement

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