We know that when a child is arrested, there are usually greater issues going on in their life. That’s why we listen and learn before we work with them on a plan.
We met “Jason” after his first arrest in 2016. He was struggling greatly in school and skipping class so frequently that he was eventually expelled. Meanwhile, as the eldest of three children in a single income household, he was under tremendous pressure to go out and get a job to help support the family. He was on the verge of dropping out of school in the 10th grade.
Like so many of our clients, Jason came to us at a pivotal moment in his young life. His LCCR team began like they always do, by listening. They found out why Jason wasn’t going to school and what could motivate him to start again: setting a good example for his younger brother and sister. Jason’s LCCR youth advocate, Keva, then helped him enroll in a new school and apply for several after school jobs.
But progress is not always linear given the roadblocks our kids face. Just when Jason’s school life was getting back in order, tragedy struck. Jason’s grandmother, with whom he had been very close his entire life, unexpectedly died. Jason began to regress into some bad habits, which resulted in another arrest and further trouble at school.
Jason never gave up, though, and neither did we. We helped connect him with therapy. We also worked with him and his family to identify a new school option that was willing to provide Jason with the supports and interventions he needed to be successful.
The effort paid off. Two years later, he’s had no new arrests. And this past May, Jason graduated high school, on time, with his LCCR team in attendance to cheer him on. He is now looking at becoming the first member of his family to go to college.
Jason’s graduation was one of several our team members attended in 2018 – all for kids who were in tough places when we met them, who faced new challenges in the juvenile justice system, but who kept trying. We’re extremely proud of each and every one of them.
Your support makes the success of Jason and kids like him possible. Thank you!
