The Little Boy Who Lost His Dream

by Michael Webb Back in the early 1970’s I watched my favorite TV show Emergency. As a child I dreamed of becoming a fireman just like the firemen on Emergency. Every time the bell would ring and the big red shining engine fifty-one would leave the station on a run, I would imitate it with my firetruck. Also, I pictured myself going to rescue a stranded person or putting out a fire. As I grew older the innocence I once had as a child became lost. That was when my neighborhood became heavenly infested with drug dealers and violent gang

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Turning It Around

by Brandon It is never too late to turn your life around. Through your whole life many opportunities will approach you to change your life around for the better but it will be up to you to want to change your life. No one can make you do anything but it is up to you to realize what’s best for yourself. Personally, my plan is to graduate high school and then go to college for as long as it takes to become a nurse in the medical eld. Stanley Tookie Williams, a man who was incarcerated for several years on

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Incarcerated Youth ‘Must Accept Our Mistakes’ / The Beat Within / The Crime Report

Greetings all! Today, The Crime Report, based in New York City, picked up, posted and is featuring the thoughtful commentary from workshop participant, Daniel.  It is a pleasure to see  Daniel’s hard-work featured today on The Crime Report website. We have been working closely with him this summer in creating this amazing piece, Incarcerated Youth “Must Accept Our Mistakes.’ Daniel participates in The Beat Within from the Solano County Juvenile Hall in Fairfield, CA. Incarcerated Youth ‘Must Accept Our Mistakes’ http://thecrimereport.org/2016/08/02/the-beat-within-we-must-accept-our-mistakes/ Homepage http://thecrimereport.org/ If you missed last month’s post, ‘Prison Swallows Your Deams,’ here’s the link… http://thecrimereport.org/2016/06/28/prison-swallows-your-dreams/ Thanks for your time and support.

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Believe in Yourself

by Dortell Williams As I sat in my concrete cage, looking at the massive failure I’ve made of my life, I’ve wondered: “What is the secret to success?” What does it take to be successful? Over time, I came to recognize that this is where history comes into play. I’m not talking about going back centuries, though you can if you want. But just recent history is good enough. For instance, to see how failure occurs, all I needed was to look at myself: Hanging with the wrong crowd, not listening to sound advice, being sel sh and greedy. All

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Who Will I Be?

by Summer What am I to the world? Nothing but a torn down knock, juvenile delinquent, slut, gang banger, hooligan. I’m not sure. At seventeen I’ve become all the above. I’m afraid I will turn out like my daddy, torn down, gang banger, in prison doing twenty-eight years for a crime he should have never committed. I love my dad but now all I see is a coward. Why did you have to use a gun? Growing up, all I’ve had are my two sts. I’m angry that he (my dad) would give up raising me for a color, but

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