I’ve been here four months. I’ve been in seven times. First charge was aiding and abetting when I was 12 years old.
My mom came to see me. She comes every weekend. It’s about a 30 to 45 minute drive. She’s unemployed. Dad works and visits every weekend. He works at a warehouse. I have two brothers. One is 15—in jail for battery and grand theft auto. The 13-year-old is on ISP. I have a 19-year-old sister who is finished with her term for shoplifting…and a 10-year-old sister. No trouble. My whole family is drug abusers and criminals. My mom is four years recovered—clean from crack and alcohol. My aunt did a year in federal in Texas…for driving with a child in a car while intoxicated.
This is my first long stay. I was in outpatient rehab when I was 13. I was on probation for battery. I was in junior high and living with my dad because my mom was in rehab. Then I moved in with my mom. I went to another middle school, but got kicked out for possession of narcotics with intent to distribute…I was 14.
I caught a new charge of aggravated robbery. I harmed them while doing a crime. Me and my friend decided to rob this kid of some headphones. We robbed him with a gun. How did I get a gun? You can get a gun, a .22, for $50 with a clip. I got it from a friend. It’s a criminal world and I am a danger to society. They expect me to change over night but they don’t realize progress takes time. I’ve changed in the last four months here by trying to control my anger, my mouth, my disrespect…They say I have grown a bit. My plea is two years.
Society says I am a level one class offender—the most dangerous people walking around. That’s my brother (points across room). Me and him strike fear in the hearts of the boys in black. We have been locked up so many times together. I am sort of a senior in high school and will get my diploma by the end of the year. I want to take some college classes and maybe get a trade…Maybe work and get some money so I have some cash to spend when I get out.
-D.F., age 17
Yea, D.F. right there’s my brother. No, not from the same parents.
We both been here for a while. We are probably going to the same place. We both going to xxxx for a couple of years. This is the 10th time I’m here. I started coming in when I was 11. First time? I don’t really remember…I think it was a fight at school. A couple of times for fighting—aggression stuff.
I have been in some foster homes. Had trouble at school. One time at school I almost fought a security guard. The state took me away from my mom when I was ten. She was smoking heavily. I was smoking with my mom when I was five. It was the first time she let me hit it. She was into a lot of stuff. She has done PCP and heroin. When she had me she was 15—my age probably. She was 14 when she got pregnant with me. They put me in a foster home with my two sisters. Then they put me in an adoptive home.
They were a good family but I probably messed that up.
My mom probably knew I was doing stuff. I took a switchblade to middle school to protect myself from other kids. I’ve been to xxxx, xxxx, then xxxx long term for four months. It was a residential care facility for behavior stuff. I caught a felony on a JCO Christmas 2012. I said I was going to fight some kid. Said I was going to kill myself. A JCO opened the door and tried to restrain me. I kicked him in the chest…intentionally. He tried to say that I broke some chick’s wrist…a CO…but I didn’t.
I’m a sophomore. I like school. I get good grades when I’m paying attention. I didn’t pay attention ‘cause it’s kind of boring. Police would describe me as “gang member.” I’m back in foster care now. I’ve been in placement all around. I’ll probably be at a foster home ‘cause I got no place to go. My adopted mom and dad moved to Virginia. My adopted aunts and uncles and grandparents visit me. I got a visit today from my aunt and grandpa.
I’m not destined for institutional life. If I was to get out of here, I have to think about what I think is right and what they think is right…If I am going to react to what I think is right I would probably be right back in here. Like if I’m on the outs and someone is talking trash or shit to me, I’ll fight them. I don’t think being in here is that bad...It’s sort of like daycare. I don’t have anywhere to go to call home…so no big deal.”
-N.C., age 15