6. Spofford Juvenile Detention Center

A cell inside the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center

Ray and Antron are sent to Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, located in Hunts Point, Bronx which was closed down in 2011 and demolished last year to become The Peninsula, a new development of affordable housing, retail and commercial space, community facility space, light industrial activity, open/recreational space and a public plaza.

Ironically, though the creation of juvenile detention centers was intended to promote reform in youth offenders, the size, formality of institutionalization and inaccessible locations inhibited their success, a situation noted particularly at Spofford. In 2016, we were able to tour Spofford before it was demolished.