Inauguration day brought all sorts of rejoicing and assurances that America will no longer torture. Today brings a report (pdf) on Washington state’s treatment of juveniles in the adult justice system that should help quell your euphoria. (Full disclosure: my fiancee is a public defender in juvenile court.)The report from the Washington Coalition for the Just Treatment of Youth highlights how kids’ brains differ significantly from those of adults’, preventing them from controlling impulses and considering the consequences of their actions; how juveniles get sexually assaulted in adult facilities and learn criminal behavior from adult prisoners; and how, given the same charges, kids of color are more likely to be charged as adults than white kids are.But the real kicker is the 28 kids given life-without-parole sentences.25% of them are borderline mentallyretarded, nearly half suffer from mental illness, 60% were subject tochild abuse and/or severe neglect, and 71% had significant substanceabuse problems. Two were represented by a defense attorney whowas later disbarred. Four had cases tried before judges who were latercensured or suspended. And one had a prosecutor who was found to haveengaged in misconduct by threatening witnesses during the trial.Here’s to justice.