What Would the World Be Like Without Mentors

Working in the juvenile justice system for six years I have seen many youth come and go, some with both parents, many with one parent and some with no parent at all. A numerous amount of these teens entered either a 90 day program or were put in a lock-up facility for six months or more because of their crime or because they were repeat offenders. It was my first day at the new job and I thought "this is great, new job, great career, working in a field that I loved." I pulled into the long driveway, the building seemed nice, the double doors a streak free clean, every one that I had met so far was nice, polite and on the verge of reform, but what I saw when I entered those doors would remain with me for the rest of my life.

I checked in with control and was asked to take a seat and my superior would be with me in a moment. When he arrived he escorted me through the large crash gate. It was nothing of what I expected. "Welcome to our little facility" Mr. Tank said. "You've been assigned to dorm seven. Don't listen to what everyone else says about the dorm, its really not that bad." Little did I know he was only in the dorm about an hour a day and the boys were actually good for that long, but once he left all Hades would break loose.

When your new to this type of facility you are commonly known as "fresh meat" no matter how many years you have been working in this field, so when I met any one different they would ask, "What dorm are you in, do you know yet?" my answer would be "Yeah, dorm seven." Every time I replied I would notice their face pale, eyes widen and a cold sweat form on their brow causing me to ask the inevitable question. "Why, what's wrong with that?" I would say. That's when I would get an answer that I became quite used to "Oh My God, why did they put you in there and not a guy that is built like a mountain? I mean you just got put in the worst dorm in the whole facility, riots and fights are common in that dorm. Just be very careful and watch your back."