Safe Communities

by Phillip Kelly In my opinion, a safe community consists of positive, happy, genuine people, plenty of resources; i.e., money for after school programs, new supplies every quarter like books, pencils, paper, whatever is needed or used mostly by the kids, clean streets and public spaces, no graf ti, homeless people, prostitution, and drug users. I would say a place like Beverly Hills is very safe; mainly from the many white superstars that live there with plenty of money; a vigilant police force and other members of that community who care and take pride in how the community functions and

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No One Said Life was Fair

by Gigg’s No one said life was fair. I don’t agree with life’s experiences some people and I have shared… Who knew she wouldn’t believe me when I told her he rubbed on me. Streaks from the streams of my eyes, and she tellin’ me, “there ain’t no reason for them fears…” Later on, taking life in my own hands and it’s for his life he came to fear… Who knew he’d step up and start beating me when dude walked away and left his seeds. I would cringe for no reason, not knowing him and him would be the reasons

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I Wonder Why

by Wisdom I wonder why life is so complicated. There are so many decisions to make, so many things to experience, so many feelings to feel. Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream and if one day I’m gonna wake up to nd myself in another realm. I meditate. Meditating is my way of escaping this strange world. If you are like me, always wondering why, and you need a way to cope, simply focus on your breath. Close your eyes and count with every inhale and exhale. And if your mind wanders off somewhere else, start over. Inhale

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The World Around Me In Color

by Keith Erickson Not long ago I remember a day sitting in my California prison cell doing what I’d done so many countless other times through the electric fence and razored wire staring out my window. My freedom, something I hadn’t had in nearly thirty years, was left standing there in the forest just outside the Prison’s perimeter. I couldn’t reach out to clutch it in my bare hands if even my life depended on it – I was, and continue to be, serving the rest of my life in this man-built hell. They say that it’s a center for

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We Aren’t Born Woke, Something Wakes Us

by Jaida My eyes have been closed for fourteen-years. I am now fteen-years old and trying to get my life together after waking up one day and feeling the heaviest regret ll my heart. This regret came to me like a ashback. I looked in my mom’s tearful eyes, thought about the innocent people I took from and hurt. I thought about how my persona now is affecting my younger brothers perspective of my life and me. And now how every morning I have to wake up at the crack of dawn to pay the price of everything I put myself

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Forgiveness Is for Me / JJIE / The Beat Within

Greetings all! As January comes to a close, our partners and friends over at the JJIE (Juvenile Justice Information Exchange) based in Kennesaw, GA, have picked up and posted a wonderful piece from the talented Mathew Edwards, who for the last couple years has been a wonderful contributor in The Beat Within writing workshops inside San Quentin State Prison.  We must say, Mathew consistently writes stellar pieces about his journey and hunger for another date with freedom. Forgiveness Is for Me http://jjie.org/2017/01/30/forgiveness-is-for-me/ Back in June 2016, the JJIE featured his piece, In for Life After a Life of Abuse http://jjie.org/2016/06/27/in-for-life-after-a-life-of-abuse/ February, 2016, JJIE picked up his

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Trump: The View From Juvenile Hall / The Crime Report / The Beat Within

Greetings, Recently we asked our writers in our weekly juvenile hall writing workshops to reflect on the upcoming Donald Trump presidency. We were quite surprised how many different opinions were shared.  Some responded with angry commentaries, poetry and rap.  Another pleaded for Americans to “give him a chance,” pointing out that as “wards of the state, if no one gives us a chance to change, how can we?” Well, right before the holidays, we sent numerous “Trump” reaction pieces to The Crime Report, based in New York City, to consider, and yesterday we were informed that they picked up and posted an abridged and slightly

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