"Juvenile in Justice" photo project captures kids behind bars

Photographer Richard Ross captured images of over 1,000 juvenile inmates housed in over 200 detention centers and correctional facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada. According to his website, the "Juvenile in Justice" project explores the "treatment of American juveniles housed by law in facilities that treat, confine, punish, assist and, occasionally, harm them."

"The hope is that by seeing these images, people will have a better understanding of the conditions that exist," he writes on his website.

The following images contain excerpts from interviews conducted by Ross with several young inmates. The photos were shot between 2005 and 2012. The "Juvenile in Justice" exhibit premiered at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nev., in August 2012. A companion book is available now. In this photo, a 12-year-old inmate is seen here in a detention center located in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Facility, Miami, FL

I was at TGK (Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center) for a year. It wasn't too bad, but I remember getting out and my mom hugging me for the first time in a year and we both cried and cried. I am here now on other charges I caught- home invasion, kidnapping armed car jacking, aggravated assault, battery and armed battery.

All of them were dropped to juvenile. They could have been charged as an adult, but I caught a break. Adult would have been 10 years but Juvie will get me into a level 10 program at Okeechobee. I got 3 years but can get out in 1/2 that if I behave well. I am in confinement for writing 'F*** Folk' on my notebook.

- S.M, age 15

Youth Training Center, Elko, NV

I'm from Southern California originally. I was living in Las Vegas, partying a lot, doing lots of drugs and trying to be a DJ. My mom is emotionally distant and my step dad is very aggressive. One's Catholic and the other is a Jehovah's witness. They really don't like that I am gay.

I am here for curfew violation and running away from rehab. I use X, acid, MDMA, alcohol. I shouldn't be in rehab as I can stop doing drugs whenever I want. I am not addicted to anything-I just take different drugs when I want. Rehab wasn't right for me-so I ran away. A lot of guys here think they can have sex with me anytime they want because they are in prison so it doesn't make them gay. It doesn't count as long as they are giving rather than getting. These are a bunch of closet **** and a lot of homophobics. If I report them to the staff they hate me. Being gay in a place like this is hell. Being trans? I can't even imagine that nightmare. I am here for 4-6 months...but I am not sure I will make it.

- A.W, age 16

Juvenile Detention Center, Tulsa, OK

I've been here been here 3 days. I was charged with running away from a group home. And also larceny and seven more run away charges. I took my mom's car and then tried to evade police. So I got an assault. My dad lives with my stepmom and both are heavy drinkers.

My dad is a construction worker. My stepmom takes all my dad's attention. She's an accountant. My mother gave up custody of me last year. She is schizo, bipolar with psychotic tendencies. She works at a hospital. The eye? I got into a fight with my girlfriend. She punched me so hard I went flying across the room and got a road rash on my shoulder. My eye looks a lot better now. I got hit two weeks ago. My girlfriend is a big volley ball tack player. She hit me because I used to have drug and alcohol problems. I said I would stop drinking, but I came into her house drunk. She lives with our best friend, E. She was living with her family, but they moved away and left her. I hope E's mother will adopt me or at least be guardian. Before this incident I got Bs and Cs in school. I'm in 8th grade. I should be a sophomore but because of issues I am in 8th grade again. It is pretty difficult being gay and Christian in a land of homophobic. Actually it's pretty impossible here.

- A.B, age 14

Caldwell, Idaho

I've been here 4 1/2 months for PV (probation violation). I dropped dirty (positive for drugs urine test). I dropped out of high school. They say I am a model prisoner.

I'm going to court next week and hope of my sentence will be lowered. Last time I was in court, my dad was supposed to be there, but he didn't show up. I'm bummed. My dad is in the National Guard and was deployed to Iraq for one tour. Now he's home working for an industrial HVAC company, but recently got laid off. Now dad is studying to get trucker license. My Mom stays at home. She doesn't visit. I got two sisters and one older brother.

- D.R., age 17

Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility, Kailua, HI

I am a transgender female. They have me living in an isolation area for the past 7 months I think to protect me against suicide but also keep me sort of away from the other girls. I have 2 months to go before I turn 18 and can go home.

I don't really spend much of my time at home, mostly I'm on the street with older friends who are part of "that life." They're mostly people who are positive about who I am but also got involved in stuff like burglary, drugs and prostitution. My parents don't really get me, the girls here are welcoming, staff is ambivalent. I don't mind being separate from the other girls, but I miss the interaction. At night it is so noisy that I enjoy the quiet.

- A.S, age 17

Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Miami, FL

I been here eight months, right now I'm reading Metamorphosis [by Franz Kafka]. I been in 20-25 fights here. I'm got two counts of murder, rape, and assault.

I stabbed my sister and her boyfriend and his friend. My sister lived. I spent some time in Citrus [mental hospital]. I blame all this on my father. He used to burn my hands and electrocute me, and he beat me with a baseball bat. My older brother got shot and died in my arms. I'll probably go to adult prison. Nobody visits me.

- A.H, age 16

Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center, Mendota, WI

I'm from Kenosha and I been here for two months, nobody visits me. I was in Ethan Allen for a year, and a month in Martin. I wanna be a R&B singer, I write my own songs [proceeds to sing, thumping against his chest for a beat]. I'll send you my lyrics.

I want to be successful. I wanna have a restaurant called "Brother's House of Fine Ribs." I'm gonna own a whole chain of them. This little sculpture dangling from this string here? That's a dream-catcher.

-T.C.W. age 16.

Orleans Parish Prison, Louisiana

LEFT: I'm sort of in 10th grade. I been here at OPP for three months. I been charged for attempted murder. They charged me when I was 14. Yeah 14 when I was first charged. I had other charges when I was younger. I got six sisters and four brothers.

- A.L. age 16,

RIGHT: I be in 8th grade. I waiting trial for armed robbery. I lives with my grandmother. Been to OPP twice already.

- J.L, age 17

Harrison County Juvenile Detention, Biloxi, Mississippi

I have been here about three weeks. I got picked up for VOP

Not much to do here. Mostly I write on the wall. I really don't want to talk to you.

- A.W, age 16

Spofford, Bronx, New York

I'm from Brooklyn. I have been here a week and am waiting to transfer to Crossroads. I've been in the system 10 times. I was 12 when I first offended. I'm a Crip. I won't sleep on a white sheet. I won't eat donuts because when you take a bite into it-it looks like a C, which is disrespectful because one of our leaders was killed in front of a donut shop. I think it was Randys in LA. My parents don't live together, My father visits once in a while. I got two felonies. I go up for 1-3 years.

- C.R, age 14

Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Miami, FL

Two counts of possession of marijuana, burglary, controlled substance, shoplifting, trespassing-That's about it. I made mistakes in life. God is helping me change.

I got 21 days. I've been here for a week already. You have to stand in front of your cell before you go in and when you come out. They have a system. My parents are divorced Nicaraguan and Columbian. I'm in 8th grade. I have 2 brothers and one older sister.

-J.C. Age 14

Challenge Program, El Paso Sheriff's Department

They come in once a day and do a search of my room. Everything I have in there, EVERYTHING, goes out-including the inside of the mattress and a body search-once a day. It happens anytime. Random.

I was arrested for assault against a 13-year-old girl. It's sort of all right, but it also really sucks. You have to listen to officers and do exactly what they tell you to do. I'm the only girl in here so it's boring and lonely. I'm here for VOP (Violation of Probation.) I was at home with an ankle bracelet but ran away to Juarez with my boyfriend and another couple. They got married in Juarez. I got mad at my mother and started throwing chairs and cut my ankle bracelet. I've been here four months now. (Program is normally five months with three-month probation, outside support.) My Mother works for Rody One industries; my Father lives in Juarez. I just finished starting 8th grade. I have six sisters; I'm the fourth. It's boring but I like to write poems, and listen to music. One day I might want to work as a Corrections Officer in a prison.

- D.M. Age 14

Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall, Fenton, California

I am in for a mistake, "wrong place, wrong time!"

I was in a car, where someone had a gun. I'm from Watsonville--the city without pity. I was put at a ranch (group home)-had to leave for fighting and running away. I'm gonna be committed to a longer term in ten days. I'm in 11th grade. If you make money from any of these pictures I want some.

- U.E. Age 18

MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, Woodburn, Oregon

"I'm here because I hurt myself and they put me in confinement and observation."

-B.G. age 18

MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, Woodburn, Oregon

B.G. is self-abusive. He is not taking his meds and he is combative. He wouldn't think twice about hurting the staff.

Spofford Juvenile Center, Bronx, New York

I got into a fight with a blood. I didn't get hurt in the fight, but when they put me in solitary I punched the wall and broke my hand in three places.

- R.G, age 15

Pat down search at Miami-Dade Regional Detention Center in Miami, Florida.

Sycamore Canyon, Arizona

Nothing you do is gonna keep that kid off the corner. You're gonna have to taser that boy. You need to throw some volts on that boy's a**.

-D.L.'s Mother age 31 (D.L. is 14)

Burnaby Youth Custody Services Center, British Columbia, Canada

I'm in for trafficking and selling cocaine and heroine, theft over $5,000 and driving a stolen vehicle.

I get out on Monday and go to a half-way house in Burnaby. No one from my family visited me here- it's too far away. I've been here about 15 times. The first time I was here I was 13. The longest? About 3 months. My mom works at a pub. My Dad died when I was six. I'm kind of jumpy. I have ADHD. I get drug tested every day.

- C.S., age 17

Burnaby Youth Custody Services Center, British Columbia, Canada

I was doing a lot of drinking, drugs, robbing people, fighting. I stabbed a girl and robbed a guy.

I got ten months in and then I serve five months on the outside. The staff here is really supportive. My sister visits me. She's the only one. Originally I'm from Alberta but I ran away from there and ended up in Vancouver. I did the tattoos on my hand with India ink when I was home. I want to be a tattoo artist. I'm pretty good. I got in a lot of trouble in Alberta, but I think I can do better when I get out this time.

- T.L. age 16

Burnaby Youth Custody Services Center, British Columbia, Canada

I'm here for manslaughter. I did two years and then went home, but did a curfew violation or something. Been back here for four months. My mother comes every Sunday and braids my hair. My father is still in Africa. It's really boring here. Really boring. Boring. Boring. Boring.

- B.F, age 18

Pima County Juvenile Detention

I've been here three weeks. I'm 13, I'm in 7th grade. I'm Somalian and my dad still lives in Somalia. We're Muslim. My mom has never visited. No one visits me. I have been in the U.S for five years... I have lived in refugee camps for a while. This is the first time something like this happened. Lots of people don't do nothing; they just yell at me. I have trouble in my classes. They're pissing me off. Every day they make a big argument, an argument about some nonsense. I threw a book at the teachers. Here I threw a food tray. It was an accident.

- A.A, age 13

Lemon Grove, California

I made friends with some of the other girls here. This is Mia. She is a puppy that belongs to one of the counselors here. I came from Texas where I ran away.

This is the nicest place I ever lived. It has been a very long time since I saw my mom. That's what makes me the saddest. I LOVE Mia.

- M.M. age 14

Photographer Richard Ross is seen here interviewing a young inmate. The "Juvenile in Justice" exhibit premiers at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nev. in August 2012. A companion book is also set to be released in August. In this photo, a 12-year-old inmate is seen here in a detention center located in Biloxi, Mississippi.