Looping In-Class Freewrite

            After reading the book hearts and hands, I changed my whole view on gangs and violence. Violence just doesn’t happen because people want to harm others. It happens because youth see their way out of struggling and they see their way out of their problems by turning to gangs. I agree with Luis Rodriguez on his solutions on how the system is set up to corrupt the prisoners. And it shouldn’t be like that. The youth are kids and they make mistakes they just need someone to be there for them and straighten them, to give them support and acceptance. Because if the youth do not find acceptance in their families and in their community, then they turn to gangs because the gangsters the “bosses” the ones that demand them to do things give them acceptance and the youth feel comfortable with them. I think that the youth find comfort and acceptace in violence because that’s the only other option they have if no one else thinks what they do ids good. Also going back to the system and how it is created, it gets families angry. I believe it was in chaper 4 or 6 im not sure where they took a kids sibling in to prison and his brother was really close to him and he got really mad that he was taken away from him so he turned to violence and gangs.

I agree with Luis Rodriguez on his solutions on how the system is set up to corrupt the prisoners.

            I agree that the prisons corrupt the prisoners by taking them away from society. I think a better option would be to make programs where they can still be in the society and contribute but also, they can reflect on the mistake they did. For example, if authority figures take those who do crimes they are only isolating them from the society and they will not be able to function the same when they are out in the community. When they are released, they are just getting the community and the people in danger. Also I believe that creating rehabilitation programs instead of prisons can get the prisoners to reflect on what they did and maybe they can change. According to the book there is a few example of former gang members that went on to the YSS program and they are now straightened up witht heir lifes and that was with the help of the the YSS program and because of luis rodriguez which is helping them reflect and showing them that they can succeed, but they need support from their community and families. (youth need hearts and hands.)

and because of luis rodriguez which is helping them reflect and showing them that they can succeed, but they need support from their community and families. (youth need hearts and hands).

            Youth need hearts and hands from their families, referring to the families accepting and honoring them and giving them love. For example, a young child that is being acknowledged on both the good things and bad things he does, he will feel good about himself because he is getting attention from his loved ones and he doesn’t have to turn anywhere else for that support. Unlike a young boy whom his parents are only focusing on the bad things he is doing, he isn’t finding comfort in his family and he needs support and attention from others. So he turns to gangs or violence where there  is other people like him which have turned for that reason or another reason.