“John Doe” is his name. He resides in Harlem. Polo Grounds to be exact. I’ve known him since 9th grade. He was always an A student who rarely got in trouble in school. The problem was outside of school. He was recently released from Rikers Island. He is seventeen years old, 6’ 2”, 175 pounds. Here’s what he has to say:
Edwin: So what’s up? How have you been?
John: Man, I’m just happy to be out. It ain’t easy being in there for a year and some change. It changes you big time. Your whole mind state changes. It’s been very hard for me to adapt to the real world again. I mean out here dudes look at me funny all the time, like they want to get punched in the mouth. And for fear of going back I chill, I relax, and just swallow it. You know recently I signed up to a YMCA and playing ball has been a way for me to vent, and just not get into trouble. By the way, for the record, you can’t beat me in ball. Other than that, I feel like my family has turned their back on me. I guess they’re just tired of my shit. And they should be, I been in-out of criminal places for a long time now. I’m actually surprised that they even gave me this long. I guess it’s just frustrating to know that you come from a place where no one cares about you, to a place where people stop caring.
Edwin: Speaking of Rikers, what is it like in there?
John: Oh man, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be, but it’s crazy. (He’s been looking at the floor for a while now, I’m guessing he doesn’t want to remember.) You know everyone in there is tough. There are quiet dudes, but you can’t sleep on anyone. You got Bloods in there, Crips, Latin Kings and even gangs I never heard of like 6 Guns and Primetime. There are fights all the time. Over the dumbest shit, too. Like you got a muffin that someone finds pretty and they’ll rock you for it. They don’t care. And they don’t care because the guards don’t care. There was this one guard, his name was Z. and he told me like it was. I had asked him why the guards don’t take affirmative action and he was like, “Kids want to be tough, so let them. Don’t be a tough guy on the street, come here and expect the guards to bail you out in a fight.” And that’s coming from a guard! But there’s more crazy shit. Like you would expect the toughest dudes to hold the most weight in there, but actually it’s the kids with the most food who have a lot of power. You know I don’t, well, actually I do mean to brag. I was one of those kids who had the most food. Oh and another thing, that whole “dropping the soap” business really doesn’t exist in Rikers. Dudes just don’t get down like that.
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