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 Paul Cummins: Writing Poetry Beats Armed RobberyPosted on Jan 3, 2007By Paul Cummins Five years ago, I found myself in a youth incarceration facility with a group of 14-to-18-year-old inmates. I had come to visit Camp Gonzales, one of Los Angeles’ 19 youth detention facilities, at the request of two passionate juvenile justice advocates, Carol Biondi and Jo Kaplan. I posed a simple ice-breaker question to the boys: What did they like to do when not “locked up”? They offered a range of answers, and then one asked how I liked to spend my nonworking hours. My top two: “Basketball and poetry.” Just as I was leaving the camp, I felt something being slipped into my back pocket—a piece of folded notepaper. A tall, tough-looking kid whispered in my ear, “I like to write poetry too.” Shortly afterward, our nonprofit educational organization, the New Visions Foundation, implemented a program at Camp Gonzales, offering after-school enrichment: arts classes, post-camp placement services and much more. Across the board, the results, as well as the deepening of our understanding of probation issues, have been tremendous. During these past five years I have learned a great deal. In fact, I believe that the Los Angeles County Department of Probation has also made discoveries. Consequently, holding my breath somewhat, I am optimistic that in the coming years we can make some real progress in the juvenile justice system. Under the leadership of the new head of probation, Robert Taylor, there is a new spirit of change. The national problem continues to be that we are very good at sending youth or adult lawbreakers off to camps or prison, but as a society we are atrocious at improving their attitudes, skills and chances for success once they are released. They serve their time and are let out, and the great majority will return to camps or prison, usually within six months of their release. In 2007, approximately 700,000 adult prisoners will be released back into society. In fact, 93% of all prison inmates are eventually released, and according to Joan Petersilia, a professor of criminology at the University of California, Irvine, “about three-quarters of them have a history of substance abuse and one in six suffers from mental illness.” Yet while in prison, less than one-third of them receive treatment for their drug abuse or mental health issues. Given the prison conditions and connections formed or solidified there, most return to society a little less able to cope. In the youth camps, 100 percent are eventually released. Yet in the past the same inattention to connections and to careful planning for re-entry has prevailed. There has been a notable lack of comprehensive rehabilitative progress. So when New Visions received a five-year grant, we resolved to attend to three areas: assessment, in-camp enrichment education, and post-camp placement. We have four full-time employees who assess each boy’s needs and then design a program to build on the boys’ positive interests—like poetry, for example. From 3 to 5 p.m. each day we offer enrichment courses, which follow the classes required by the Los Angeles County of Education. Our classes include music, filmmaking (complete with screening events, including one at Sony), drama, writing and performing their own scenes, gardening, computers, journalism (the boys publish a monthly newsletter), life skills, GED preparation and the like. And as for post-institution placement, our director, Fernando Rodriquez, and his three co-workers have put more than 80 students in community colleges, and five have attended private high school schools. One is currently at New Roads School in Santa Monica, Calif., and two are attending Eagle Rock School, a “tough love” boarding school in Colorado. Others have received apprenticeships and jobs through the L.A. Job Corps. Many of the stories of how these boys have turned their lives around would bring tears to the reader’s eyes. I should add, sadly, that four of our “graduates” were shot to death by rival gangs before we could place them. What I have learned in the past five years and what I believe the L.A. Probation Department has come to see is that rehabilitation works—if done properly and comprehensively. Many of the boys and girls in the camps (two camps are all-girls) have rarely or never made positive connections. The New Visions program provides close and long-lasting connections to our youths. John Hubner, in his study of the redemption of criminal youths, “Last Chance in Texas,” writes: “Next to the need to survive, a human being needs to form connections. If no loving figure is found, he will bond with his abuser and seek power, control, and recognition in ways he learns from his oppressor. Healthy human beings also seek power, control and recognition. The difference is, being loved and nurtured and in turn being able to love sends those forces in directions that build families and community and careers that contribute to the greater good.” The choice is critical. We know that purely punitive measures don’t work—our recidivism rates prove this. Proper rehabilitation can and sometimes does work, and is in everyone’s best interests. Writing poetry, I suspect, is better than drugs, robbery and murder. SHARE THIS TRUTHDIG ARTICLE:
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By carolyn baxter, January 11, 2007 at 2:21 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
well first of all I separate ‘’Sex offenders’’ and ‘’Youth crimes’’.Its a whole different ballgame.I had a few of those sick pricks get a hold of me in Germantown NYC.when i was a kid.Im more into the ‘’keeping young people OUT’’ when they get out and showing them from ‘’True stories’’what has and can happen.Im sure when my friend ‘’chess’’ robbed a Jamacian Drug Posse in Brooklyn when she was almost 6 months pregnant,didnt expect to be gagged, hands tied, throat cut, nakid in a grimie Tenement bathtub.Whats extra sad is we did 4 years at a workcamp in the Hills of west Virginia.All I know is ‘’Punishment’’leads to violent resentment.Most of the ‘’Youth ‘’that Ive known and seen come out,became their own worse Victems with drugs,and escalated crimes.I think sex crimes, adult crimes and Violent crimes are a separate conversation.Youth do need an outlet.Like they say ‘’Adolesent is a disease not an age’’.I know myself I suffered and still do from being a 15 year old dropout.I had to work much harder and without help.All the Academic advantages I obtained,was from my writing and my art.That no one taught me how to do.So im all for Poetry and expression.Thats how I started,and It leads to bigger and better things,and builds self esteem.
Report thisBy Skruff, January 9, 2007 at 3:17 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Comment #46375 by MARIAM RUSELL on 1/09 at 5:23 am asks:
“.... Where can I find information about it and why are there no articles about the program? “
http://www.prisonactivist.org/pipermail/prisonact-list /1998-August/002163.html
http://www.ksgcase.harvard.edu/casetitle.asp?caseNo=166.3
Also try last One Over the wall by Jerome Miller Ohio University Press.
Despite popular belief there are some subjects censored from the internet. Reports about successful prison reform are among these deleted documents.
Are you old enough to remember who Willy Horton is?
If not… you had to be there!
Report thisBy MARIAM RUSELL, January 9, 2007 at 5:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Skruff, Where can I find information about it and why are there no articles about the program?
Report thisBy Skruff, January 8, 2007 at 4:21 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Comment #46211 by MARIAM RUSSELL on 1/08 at 9:36 am asks:
Skruff, didn´t Mass also have an educational program in the prisons that made it possible for a prisoner to come out with a degree......taught by the very best professors from the local universities? Did it also lower the ¨bounce¨ rate?
Yes, and a job placement program, a family re-unification program, a “I’m committed” program that kept children of prisoners out of trouble by allowing them to visit their incarcerated parent for an entire day.
It was a good time for rehabilitation, but a bad time for hiring the old style prison guard.
I was proud to be part of the endeavor.
AND
Governor Sargent was a Republican!
Report thisBy MARIAM RUSSELL, January 8, 2007 at 9:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Skruff, didn´t Mass also have an educational program in the prisons that made it possible for a prisoner to come out with a degree......taught by the very best professors from the local universities? Did it also lower the ¨bounce¨ rate?
Report thisBy carolyn baxter, January 7, 2007 at 3:28 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I served 6 years in Prison.my new book ‘’Platinum Dreams Lead Realitys’’ is a collection of essay’s,non fiction short storys/Poetry about real life street Hustlas that lost their lives in the street.And poetry about rappers. Inspired by the deaths of so many black males and rappers.Written much in the Vein of ‘’Donald Goines’’and Iceberg slim in which im in anthologys with it is abook of Passion.
I dropped out of school at 15.and now I do ‘’Conscience’’Rap my CD ‘’Take the Bitter with the street’’.Rehabilitation works,but only with the Proper Focus by that I mean.when a con gets out of Prison If their an artist.Their is NOTHING to further nurture them,and if they dont continue to write.create music or both like in my case.There back to the streets to make money and survive.Its nothing more frustrating that to go to the Fortuine socirty lets say a’’prison rehab after you get out ‘’org’’ and see programs for G.E.D or how to learn computer BASICS.thats ‘’Nice’’..but the ‘’artists ‘’the Talented ones like me are out the door in 5 min.
Then if you go further.and say to the Director,can you help me in doing a video.I wrote a Play or listen to my work or buy my book,or can you help me get in a Speakers ‘’org’’( with you 100K a year connections) the earth is Flat!.Are they Threasthened for their jobs/cause times ‘they are..and have changed,and ther not part of it..is it a conspiracy ,that they only help the poor souls are the Victems of not taking one test..their G.E.D?I could go on with storys of how work release failed for friends who polished the courts at night,not ever to get into the Union,and when their ‘’paper sent. was over was kicked to a shelter and welfare...but thats another esaay.
Times have changed since the Fortune society ‘’Type’’ programs were implemented 1. a Rap culture has Prevailed.and the ‘’Youth are learning From ‘’Example’’not Programs without walls.All the corny go on welfare go to the food pantry while learning computer basics is DEAD!.the programs and the people that are the Victems of the system.will all suffer if not Inclusive of the people that have been there done that, that want to give back,and have the Opertunity to do so.Its time for the ‘’suits’’ to move over.Like ‘’wycleff of the group the fugees says’’
‘’If you aint sharing and you aint carerin ,you walk up in the hood they take everything you wearin’’.The people that are supposed to ‘’Help’’are blocking the people of EXPERENCE’’ that can make a change.
carolyn c. baxter is a Recp.of a Natl.Endowment of the arts grant,she is widely anthologised her first book Prison Solitary and Other Free Government Services (greenfeild Reveiw Press)a Mental Health Nurse /HIV councler. she teaches teens rap/digital engineering she speaks at schools/colleges her newest book Platinum Dreams Lead Reality at Amazon.com she hopes to complete a Masters Degree in ‘’New Media Offered to her in Austria.
Report thisauthorsden.com/carolyncbaxter
carolynbaxter.com
By evil badger, January 5, 2007 at 2:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Rehabilitation only works for some, usually the younger the more likely to reform. Some crimes should not be treated as leniently as they are, however. Why should the vulnerable of society be left to fall prey to violent criminals, especially sex offenders, given a second chance by well-meaning people they know how to fool and have no respect for?
Report thisAlso, it would be nice if social reform to fix social problems caused by the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots prevented some of these young offenders from ever becoming so hopeless and hostile in the first place.
Another good idea would be to reform the drug laws so they treat drug-addicted offenders as sick instead of morally corrupt, and to offer cheap or free access to drugs for addicts who agree to slowly wean themselves off in a monitored program (bang! there goes the price of black-market drugs), and widespread education on how to use without becoming addicted would be of enormous benefit not just to juvenile offenders but to almost 95% of addicted women forced into prostitution to support their habit (bang! there goes a big chunk of human-trafficking and sex slavery).
The current laws, and current attitudes to these problems haven’t improved anything. We need a new approach.
By Skruff, January 4, 2007 at 3:19 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is GREAT to learn that California is experimenting with “less punitive rehabilitation.”
BUT tell these folks to watch their back.
I worked in the Massachusetts system when Jerry Miller ran the Department of Youth Services there. He believed in teaching and caring rather than confining and punishing. He emptied the Commonwealths 150-year-old reform schools, and gave children foster homes, residential treatment, and life experiences like camping trips, mountain climbing, and ski trips. BUT he also locked in a we care for you philosophy. The experiment cut the “bounce” rate (the rate at which children returned to the system) in half from almost 80% to less than 37%
BUT politicians cant leave a story like this alone. Predatory vipers ran against Governor Sargents bold move. They said kids need PUNISHMENT when they do bad stuff. They used words like coddled and babied
Governor Sargent lost the next election to Mike Dukakis. This liberals first move was to reopen Roslindale, the old systems intensive solitary confinement lock-up. From the system then which confined (mostly in mental health facilities) up fewer than 100 children, The Massachusetts juvenile system looks pretty much like any other children’s jail.
Success and doing the right thing guarantee nothing.
So I say again, Robert Taylor, watch your back.
Report thisBy Allan Sauter, January 4, 2007 at 12:14 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Jimmy Santiago Baca probably deserves 100% of the credit for this direction. Check out his poetry and life.
Report thisBy yours truly, January 4, 2007 at 11:09 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
And this poetry was made possible by the love that went into developing and implementing your educational program. Imagine what effect such “soft love” programs would have upon crime prevention. Would there be even a need for prisons? Oh, but there’s no $ for such endeavors? Not unless we change the world, that is. Which begins with our seeing to it that Congress cuts off all funding for the Iraq war, with the peace divident going, among other things, towards rehabilitating criminals and preventing crime, and won’t that be nice?
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