Street Roots • May 6-12, 2016
News
Page 8
Street Roots • May 6-12, 2016
News
TAKING TIME OUT
INTERVENTION
■
tiave never met my co-defendants.’
arry Bradshaw, of the Oregon Youth
Authority:
We asked the youths what interventions in
their lives might have put them on a more
productive path and what, they think the
Portland community can do to help prevent
at-risk youths from committing violent acts.
LUIS
“A big thing would be the schools, the
prison pipeline. A lot of schools are zero
tolerance for everything, and I think they
need to look into that because usually kids in
middle school - that’s where they start. It’s
they're the most engaging youth
obviously not going to be 100 percent
effective, but if they create a strong program
break them from that, there's still
that has people who are in this situation go
speak to them, that would really help.
Obviously, you have to do more than just
listening to someone; you have to do more
engagement-type things.
YOUTHS, from page 7
“I just want them to change that Measure
“In my mind I was like, this is one of the
( 11 (mandatory minimum sentencing law).
ultimate levels of disrespect that you can give । There are a lot of first-time offenders in here.
any gang member. He just gave it to me, so
j I know people in here - took a cellphone, got
like five to 10 (years). It’s not worth six years
you have one choice to make. You re either
of your life for taking a cellphone.
going to do it or you’re not going to do it.
“They don’t realize it’s really affecting a lot
“I thought about getting caught, and I
thought about the glamor of getting caught,
| of people’s lives, and hot just them as an
and I thought about the praise I would get
j individual, but their family. A lot of people
got kids, a lot of people are that support
My goal was to get away with this, but if I1 did
get caught all right, well, I’m going be shining J system for their family, so losing them just
for a while.
I makes things crumble.
“If they don’t hurt someone, they don’t
“I didn’t know that he had died.
deserve Measure 11 charges, There’s other
“My whole thing was, 1 don’t want to hurt
ways out.
anybody that hasn’t physically done any harm
“There has to be something designed to
to me, so when I found that out he was dead,
help youth. When I was on house arrest, they
I was like, I just went against everything that I
made me go to AA groups and stuff like that
said. At the end, I shot the gun. I know what
- just being engaged in positive things; They
bullets do - they kill people.
moved me out of Portland to Beaverton with
Marsel said it was all about respect, but
my great-grandma.”
looking back, he sees it differently.
ent there, if they could switch that
from the negative stuff and into a
positive side of fife, they could be
“I measured myself on a scale that doesn’t
even matter. None of that matters.”
Qradshaw said some policies at schools,
Dsuch as suspensions and expulsions, ’
indirectly contribute to a youth’s decision to
become gang involved. 'Having a kid
who's already behind on his education and
is high-risk for gang involvement and then
gets expelled horn school or suspended, '
he said, "it i eally only pushes them turthe^
into that direction.
significant gang involvement. He
but this kid's come a long way
and is really trying to make it.
The worst thing you could do is
gets me. I don’t know how to explain it
“I don’t think it should take this long, for
me to get to this point of my life, before I
found a male role model.
“If there was like a group in the
community that sincerely cared about the
younger generations, and they would try
harder, at the end of the day that s what it
really is - for them to try harder. And that
the folks that we do look up to growing up -
that they wouldn’t take advantage of the
young minded. Making us into the folks that
we are today.”
“If there was like a group of folks that
truly cared about the younger generation,
they would actually try to reach out, and take
these kids up under their wings, because it
doesn’t start in middle school. By the time
they get to middle school, they already gone.
It’s really elementary school - fifth grade
summer, going into sixth grade; that’s where
it all really starts. I promise you.
“You gotta get that voice in the
community - reach out, go to the school,
send out fliers. I promise you, if I’m in fifth
grade and I see a flier for community
basketball - oh God, I’m there! That s all it
■
Page 9
hnstina Puentes, who’s been working
with Oregon’s incarcerated gang-
involved youths for 17 years, said many
community programs miss the mark by
focusing on gang suppression - telling
kids they can’t wear certain colors or hang
out in certain areas.
rúenles
they walk out of here, my hope
for them is that they change their
behavior when they leave. Me asking
them to totally leave that affiliation,
though, is almost a setup because
that's been a part of who they are for
so long*
isarsel
“I just wanted to get my message started
If y0U do have some type of problem
th school or whatever, just seek out help.
There are different programs that can help
with school. Stay in sports if you are in
my sports or any other activities.
“I think it’s really beneficial when there’s
somebody that’s either lived it or that knows
somebody close that has. I heard a lot of
eople say, ‘Oh I’ve done this, oh I know how
vou’re feeling,’ but it’s like, you had bad
Lades in high school and now you’re a
.millionaire. But somebody that actually
¡messed up, and that’s all they do is help
others, they’re not getting anything from it
¡because the other ones, they’re like getting
Laid all this money to be like a motivational
r
(speaker.
I “People who actually did it, and they just
(want to help, that’s really what I think is
■beneficial, and that is something that I would
LUIS
The topic shifted to the soccer program Luis
started at MacLaren, and for the first time
during our interview, his eyes lit up and he
smiled, telling us about MacLaren’s victory over
a team from Portland Community College.
When I get out, I want to start my own
little soccer club for fifth grade to high
school. Fil gain experience throughout that.
I m passionate about soccer. My plan is to do
it for kids who are young, who grow up
around this type of lifestyle like I did, and give
them the opportunity and choice to be
involved in this, to help prevent. Give my type
of guidance, whatever I can.
“This place taught me a lot I kinda don’t
regret coming here. This is my downtime,
from society, to get myself together.
A letter submitted to a Multnomah County
judge on Luis’ behalf, three years into his
sentence, stated that he “played a pivotal role” in
saving the life of a correctional facility employee
who had a medical emergency while guarding
his living unit.
Luis will be released in 2017.
uentes said the youth who will be
■
transferred to adult prison when
they turn 24 are difficult cases. She said
knowing they’re going upstate gives
them reason to hang on to their gang
identity longer.
kind of like they carry an invisible
she said. "They're going to have
to answer for that when they get
negative behavior, and sometimes
“I just want to walk on. a sidewalk and go
get some McDonald’s. From there on, a
couple years down the road, if I have a college
degree - I want to do everything. I don’t have
my heart set on a certain type of career.
Everything is interesting to me. Wherever I
end up, in any type of job, that’s just fine with
me.”
Josefina has 101/2 years left on her sentence.
MARSEL
Ì I
“The reality set in when I was here. And
then I started missing out on certain things,
like playing basketball - guys my age playing
high school basketball - a dream that I had.
Playing for Jefferson High School, winning
state titles.
At 6-foot-3, Marsel looks like he’d easily
dominate a high-school basketball court.
“Then my girlfriend going to prom - I
couldn’t go to prom with her. And then my
it’s important that they have a witness present
graduation came up. My grade-point average
when they talk to authority figures, or in this
was terrible, so I didn’t have credits to
case, to the media. They want someone to vouch
graduate that year, but I was in here while my
"Until you really get in there and
■like to do.
that they didn’t say anything they weren’t
I “I plan to volunteer at SEI, Self
friends were graduating, and then my
supposed to, she said. ■
girlfriend graduated, and now my girlfriend
I Enhancement Incorporated, that’s where I
they think that way, and really start
“I don’t know if I can (walk away from his
TREI
goes to college and I’m still in here.
pushing thariribattons in a therapen-
■basically was at my whole middle school
really takes.”
gang), but as far as being in that environment
Ivears, and I want to go to Texas. My auntie
“Right now I’m just hanging out. I plan to
“I was taking college, my first term I took
all the time, that can definitely change.
get back into school this term. I got my .
|o\ws a nonprofit organization, the Amadi
12 credits, and then the next term I took 23
“I would never be around the homies unless barber’s license. I got my high school
JOSEFINA
■Guess Foundation. She wants me to talk and
credits, and aced all of them, but then I got
they’re trying to better themselves. I am a
diploma. I’m mentoring a little bit.”
“I wish I was taken out of where I lived,
kicked out of college for gang violence. I
■tell my story.
changed man. 1 have strong beliefs about it -
from my family. It wasn’t so much my mom
Marsel has his own room in the mental
enrolled back in this term, but then I got in
not so much the negative things, but the
He said he wants to tell at-risk youths:
health unit, where he mentors younger inmates.
or my sister, but it was my brothers. I try
this fight, so I don’t know how that’s going to
positive things - the barbecues, the extra pair
It’s an option available to youths who have
not to hate them, but I can’t help myself if I
I ‘Everybody has choices, and every choice
roll out. I think it will be all right if I get back
of shoes, ‘Here’s a new outfit for you,’ ‘Here
remember telling her I needed help, the -
earned their way up OTA’s “tagsystem, in
hate them. I’m not blaming it on them,
into it - but that’s the life of being in prison.
ya
go,
“
a
lady.
”
’
They
’
ve
done
a
lot
of
good
■nil
lead
you
down
a
certain
path.
It
’
s
very
which a youth’s privileges are based on the
whole time I was in DHS custody; which was b
because everything that I did was my fault,
“I believe that there should always be a
things for me. I would never leave it, but I
length of time they’ve behaved. Marsel said he
like six months, I was still doing drugs, I was.; Important to really think about what you’re
but they made me a little bit of who I was.
chance
for
you
to
redeem
yourself,
and
show
would
not
surround
myself
with
the
negative.
especially likes to mentor gang-affiliated youths.
still drinking. I needed help, and like at that« doing. On my side, I really did think about
“A big thing is for people to listen, and like
that you have made progress and have a
“I look at it like a badge of honor, you know,
that whole day. Everything I did was
point - I think it’s because they were so
“Regardless if you’re a Crip, you’re a Blood,
try to understand, even if they don’t. I
second look. I think it falls along the lines of
this is what I’ve been through in my life. I
strategic. I signed up for it, so I can’t really
done with me, because I kept running.
you’re from Hoover, I don’t care where you’re
remember before I got locked up, like a few
what (Luis) was saying: mandatory time, you
grew
up
this
way.
So
if
my
daughter
is
in
complain. With that, you need to think about
“The year of my crime, it happened in 1
from, but if you’re a gang member, for some
months, I had this person who was working
know, Measure 11.1 mean man, nine years
college, I can say when I was your age, I was
your choices, and think about where they re
November,
and
I
remember
in
June
I
had
just
reason, I’m drawn to that, you know, just to
with me (a counselor at school). I mean she
ain’t no punk. I really wish I could have a
in
jail,
we
got
up
out
the
mud.
going to lead you, before you make the
TREI
got off DHS custody, but I started doing
talk about the positives and negatives of both
review. If I did have a review, I think it would
listened, but she really didn’t. She
decision.”
meth again. I asked to go to treatment,
“I grew up around women and my cousins.
understood because she was in prison
totally change my perception of life and how I
sides. And there’s not really too many
especially like a locked-down facility where 11
JOSEFINA
positives about gangs. A lot of it is just about
If I had to pick a role model, it’d probably be
before, but she was still pretty much involved
act, because then I really got something to
can’t run from. I tried to ask for help but
Oregon Youth Authority’s correctional facility
sports because a lot of gang members, for
the streets - the older homies.
with the life. She was one of them that fell
strive for. But when you give somebody a
nobody listened. That was a big thing for me]
some reason, play sports, at some point, and
“Honestly, I didn’t meet my first role
mandatory time, and it’s like, ‘This is the date for girls doesn’t have the wide variety of
off, like they act like they care and they
because I feel like if I would have went to
have love for sports. But they don’t like
model until I got locked up. Robert Carson.
listen, but they really don’t.
^5^.
you’re getting out, and there’s nothing you can continuing education options the boys’facilities
treatment, then none of this would have
(Carson is an OYA employee.) I look at him
school, and for some reason get close to
“My outpatient person, I
do to change-it,’ then why change? I have no
offer to inmates.
happened, and I know that because I would
graduating (and get off track). And it s like, all
like a father figure. He’s a good dude. He
“The only thing we have is this fiberoptic
good time.”
right, ‘K>w can graduate. I can’t go home and
“If I had that second look, it would have
class, and only like six girls are allowed to be
play basketball, and football, but you can.’
probably changed the outcome of where I’m at in it because there’s only like six sets of tools.
“To be honest with you, I had my turning
right now. I probably wouldn’t have this black
They don’t really have nothing here to further
point, and then I had another turning point
my education.”
going the opposite way. And now I’m kinda
“But I feel like I’ve changed - nine years,
Despite this, she said she’s studying history
turning back. My first turning point, it was
you got nothing but
and politics to prepare for when she is able to
like, I got it I know what I want to do with
«time to think, and I’m
take college courses later.
not Changing for
my life.”
'It amazes-.«---------- -
,
1 myself, I’m changing
either, 'You’re really good at that, oirimso
“When I first got locked up, I had this
Marsel said he plans to open his own
Ifor my kid. That’s one
proud oi you that you did this,' they just ligh
(high school) teacher. Her name jvas Kristin,
barbershop when he gets out - anywhere but
[thing
I
really
want
to
up. Because oftentimes, they haven t heard
and she was my history teacher, and
Portland, maybe in Eugene or Corvallis.
I do is just be the best
that before," Puentes said. She «J«»“®*®®
memorizing the dates of like World War I and
[father that I can be. I
“But then time starts going by, arid it’s like,
World War II, she was like, ‘Oh my God, good
well I’m still here because of the choices that
|dori’t want my
job!’ And that’s kind of what boosted me up.
I made. I’m gonna keep going back and forth.
[ daughter growing up
heavily involved in gangs. She asked him
And I started reading more into, like, history,
Might as well go back now. And then I was
ilike me.
and it became my favorite subject.
like, ‘Hold on! I don’t want this for myself.
I But can Trei walk
Josefina said it was the first time a teacher
Now I’m coming back around.”
said. "Before too long, I noticed he was
’ [ I away from gang life?
had told her she was good at something, and
I
Before
giving
his
Marsel has three years left in OYA custody,
He said nobody had ever, in his
.
simply hearing that motivated her to pursue the.
wm . rivtm. a possibility. He ended up
fresponse, he looked
then he’ll be transferred to adult prison, where
subject.
going to college. He sslin oat in the «mmun.ly, l ucwss the room to
he’ll serve the remaining eight years of his
When she turns 24, she’ll be transferred to
I Luis. Luis and Trei
sentence.
Coffee Creek, an adult facility. Sometimes, she
were the only youths
said, the idea scares her.
emily@streetroots. org
interviewed together.
So what’s the first thing she’ll do when she
Christina Puentes, the gangrelated conflict
gets out?
i
mordinator at Oregon Youth
^HOTO^Y EMILY GREEN
Authority, said for many gang-involved youths,
Marsel is serving a 19year sentence for a murder he committed at 16. He is housed at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility in Salem, pictured here. In tt o years he’ll be transferred to an adult prison.