probation officers: Close-up of angry man with smoke coming out from his ears

A Message to Probation Officers: Don’t Expect Youth to Show Up If You Don’t

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One of my favorite memes says, “Accountability feels like an attack when you’re not ready to acknowledge how your behaviors harm others.” Probation officers (POs) and youth share the responsibility for their own actions, as well as the actions of one another. Accountability isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible. With POs modeling what it looks like to be accountable, it will set the example for youth to follow. Below I’ve narrowed it it down to three simple, but significant steps:
Show up
I had both a negative and positive experience with probation officers. The distinction between these two experiences was that my first PO only showed up for work, while my second PO (PO Choi) showed up to work and showed up for me.

gun violence: Relatives calming family member at funeral, all in black

Helping Others Heal Is More Powerful Than a Bullet

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The losses of life, the endless pain and suffering, the thousands of lives sent to prison, fatherless and motherless children and worst of all a parent having to bury their child. Going back into my life I'll never forget the tragedy that came with the first time I heard gunshots and then saw the horrific wreckage. Two people died that night, one a man I didn’t know and the other a best friend of mine. I wasn't shot, I didn’t pull the trigger, but the bullets tore through my heart and soul. I remember sitting next to my best friend who was laying there dead with a bullet in his head.

Book review: Troubled teenage girl behind bars

A Compassionate Tribute to Incarcerated Children That Exposes Their Trauma, Anger

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Jane Guttman’s “Kids in Jail: A Portrait of Life Without Mercy” gives poetic voice to children who are trapped in the catacombs of society with little hope of resurrection. It is a gut-wrenching, graceful and dignified look at lives that are painfully scarred by conditions and circumstances that were preordained out of neglect, abuse, poverty, chance or a combination of all these elements.

One Man’s Journey Through Crime, Drugs, Schizophrenia and Rehabilitation

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When Andrew Peterman of Idaho first came into the juvenile justice system at age 15, he did not know that schizophrenia was driving his anger, which in turn was resulting in arrests and illicit drug and alcohol usage. In time, thanks to juvenile detention and treatment for his schizophrenia he has been able to straighten out his life. In fact, he has come so far on his journey that the Coalition for Juvenile Justice awarded him the 2011 National CJJ Spirit of Youth Award to "recognize and celebrate a young adult...who has made great strides through involvement with the juvenile justice system, overcome personal obstacles and is today making significant contributions to society." In the video below by Leonard Witt, Peterman tells of his journey through crime, drugs, schizophrenia and rehabilitation. See the video time splits below.