The long and at times sordid history of the juvenile justice system in the United States

The American Pediatric Society ‘Issue of the Year’ (2023–2024) has been focused on increasing access to quality healthcare for children who are incarcerated. Addressing the future of youth in the juvenile justice system requires that pediatricians understand the history of how that system has gotten to where it is now. This commentary examines the creation and growth of the United States juvenile justice system since its establishment 125 years ago, so as to guide a way forward.