Mini-Stories from Caring Adults
Brief quotes from adults who work to help young people get back on track.
Adult Views
"I saw a young man that was, at present time, part of the system. But he wanted to change. And he was on his way. He just needed a little guidance and some assistance, so we were there just to try and show him some of the positive things that he was doing. And that kind of helped instill some trust and he opened up with us. And after that, he was like part of the family."
—Darryl Williams, Mentor, Dayton, OH
"Everyone shares responsibility for youth success. Systems do change when people's beliefs change."
—Charlotte McGuire, Project Director, Dayton, OH
"Here in New Hampshire and in the other Reclaiming Futures sites across the country, judges are speaking out on behalf of children who have no voice, drawing the attention of the community to their needs, and working with the community to secure the treatment and other assistance they need to restore them to drug-free and crime-free lives."
—Judge Willard "Bud" Martin, NH
"Drug Court is a specialized court where we try to assist young people who have drug and alcohol problems. They've all been involved with a criminal act. They're all in the court system. But we think through drug court, we can give them specialized treatment to give them a better chance to successfully beat the habit, stay in school and stay out of problems with their family."
—Judge Anthony Capizzi, Dayton, OH
"We can talk about doing interventions while the kids are at the front end of the system, where it's going to be relatively low cost and where we can get some treatment and services into these children and families…Or we can wait until they go to our juvenile rehabilitation facilities and eventually into our adult facilities or into our adult mental health facilities. There's a cost to the community. Our kids are in trouble. We can either try to remedy it at the front end or remedy at the back end. We're still going to have to pay for it."
—Judge Patricia Clark, Seattle, WA
