Hussein Ali of Baghdad, 13, left, and Muhamad Nader of Baghdad, 14, arm wrestle at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday, March 29, 2004. The inmates are not allowed to have any games or books in their cell.
Juvenile Prison
Karkh Juvenile Detention Facility in Baghdad, Iraq, was built in an old police detention center by U.S. Army and Coalition Provisional Authority. It’s the only juvenile prison in Baghdad, one of the world's most crime-ridden cities. The facility holds 113 juvenile inmates. Carjackings and murders, some perpetrated by teens, are at epidemic proportions. Inmates at Karkh include boys from 13 to 18-years-old who have been accused or convicted of a serious crime. But some should have never spent a night in jail. A nine-year-old boy spent two months in the facility after he was brought in for begging. Another child's crime is listed as homosexuality.
Prison guard Mohamad Kaseem of Baghdad, 22, center, watches television with juvenile prisoners in their cell at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq. Sitting from left are Haydar Ali, 10, Bassem Mohamad, 17, and Ali Hamza, 12.
Juvenile inmate Ali Hassan of Baghdad, 16, left, and his cellmates complain about the corrupt justice system in Iraq. Most inmates have been accused or convicted of a serious crime, but there is also a child who spent two months at the facility after he was brought in for begging, another for loitering, and yet another child’s crime is listed as homosexual.
Mohamad Kareem of Baghdad, 11, gets a haircut at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday, March 29, 2004.
Ali Abass of Baghdad, 14, is held in a solitary confinement as a punishment for fighting with another inmate. Inmates can be held there up to a week, depending on their behavior.
Inmate Yaseer Mohamad of Baghdad, 12, center, watches his teacher Ahmad Hoteey, 40, during math class as Arabic teacher Maher Jaseem, 38, right, stands in the back at the library at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq.
Ali Jaseel of Baghdad, 17, convicted of robbery, learns how to write for the first time with the help of Arabic teacher Ahmad Hoteey, 40.
From left Ali Adnan, 13, Sayeel Hashim, 12, and Ahmad Saleh, 13, walk into the courtyard of Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq, for their time outside.
Inmate Hussein Ali of Baghdad, 13, sits outside at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq.
From left Haydar Ali, 10, Ali Sabah, 12, Mohamad Salam, 10, Mohanad Talleb, 16, and Ali Adnan, 13, and Mohamad Jamal, 15, eat breakfast.
Mohamad Kareem of Baghdad, 11, washes cups after breakfast as Emad Hazeem of Baghdad, 13, walks out the bathroom at Iraqi Juvenile Prison in Baghdad, Iraq. The same shower area is used as a sink and as a toilet.