My brother was involved in getting me here. He went to placement.
Central_CA_4.20.14-4
I’ve been here one month three days. My mom visited me, my auntie too. My dad tries to come, but he works so he hasn’t come. My brother was involved in getting me here. He went to placement. My mom’s a little emotional right now. She doesn’t like for her kids to be in jail. They had me here for two months the first time and I think they want me to do it again now. I’m in seventh grade. My dad works for a car lube/oil change company. My mom is a nurse. She’s also in AV (Antelope Valley) Community College. At home it’s my sister who is 23 and four boys. The 15-year-old is in placement. Placement is good; they take you shopping there. My nephew and niece also live in my house, my stepbrother and sister used to live in the house. She’s 23 now and they live in LA. I can fix anything you throw at me, motorcycles, bikes.
- E.M., Age 12
**Interviews with youth are recorded to the best of our ability. All personal histories and anecdotes are self-reported by the children. To protect confidentiality of the youth, identities have been obscured, initials have been changed, and identifying details have been removed. Interviews have not been edited for content.