***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***
It really sucks that the staff decided to keep me in this holding cell over the weekend. Apparently, even if I was not the aggressor, I could still be punished harsher than the actual person who started the fight. I hate to say it, but I think the only reason I got punished harder is because I am white. I know I should not think this way because my parents raised me better, but I cannot help it. It just seems really strange that both of the staff on shift were black men and as soon as I got into a fight with a black guy they decided to take me away instead of him or both of us. I quickly brush the thought away because it will only anger me more. I wonder when they will bring me breakfast because I am famished. All I can do in this holding cell is push-ups and sit-ups so that has been my focus all weekend. Finally, the door opens, and in comes a female staff member. She is holding a food tray in her hands. I am quite happy about this. She hands me the tray and steps out of the cell. I quickly take the lid off of the tray and I see some scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and apple juice. I immediately scarf the food down as if I had not eaten in months. As soon as I am finished eating, I lay down on the metal bed frame and think happy thoughts about Kat and Amanda. I really miss them. About a couple hours later, the door to my cell opens up. What is going on? Mr. Logan is standing outside of my cell and he orders me to come out. I immediately do as I am told. He tells me to face the wall and put my hands behind my back. I do this too and he handcuffs my hands together and then shackles my feet. I ask him what is happening.
"You're going to court today," he says "Now get in line!" I look over and see about four other guys with their hands cuffed behind their backs and feet shackled. They are standing in a single file line and I join them. Mr. Logan has us count off before we walk out of the door into the outside world. I must admit that the fresh air does feel nice on my face. Mr. Logan tells us to get in the back of this transport vehicle and to not say a word the whole trip. We are to remain silent. We all follow this order because we do not want to talk to each other anyway. I see that one of my transport buddies is the Black Guy who I beat up recently. He keeps staring at me as if he wants to have another fight. If he feels froggy, then he can leap. I have no problem beating him up again.
Ten minutes go by and finally, the transport vehicle comes to a stop. We must be at our destination. Mr. Logan and Ms. Smith opened up the back of the vehicle and told us to come out one by one and get in line. They then chain each of our shackles with each other. I guess they do this to make it even more difficult for us to run. They then have us walk down this extra-long hallway with no end in sight. I feel like we are walking the Green Mile. Finally, we make it to the end and pile into an elevator. It takes us to the first floor and the staff leads into a hallway that is outside of our courtroom. I see four public defenders standing around. I wonder which one is mine. I would find out soon enough. The staff unchained our shackles so that we could be free to talk privately with our lawyers. A blonde-haired young woman approaches me and says her name is Jessica Turner. She says she will be representing me.
"Do you understand why you are here?" She asks me and I think that is a stupid question, but I tell her what I did anyway. She then tells me that she thinks the best thing we can do is for me to take a plea deal. She explains to me that if I take this to trial and lose my punishment will be much more severe. I decided that a plea deal would be easier. Besides, I already know that I am guilty. Jessica and I meet with the DA and we explain to him that we are willing to make a plea deal. The DA seems pleased by this.
"I like to hear that, " the DA says, "I tell you what, since this is your first offense, I will recommend to the judge that you be sent to a treatment facility for 6 to 9 months and do two years of probation too. All you have to do is plead guilty to First Degree Assault. How does that sound, kid?" To be honest, that deal sounds pretty refreshing because it seems so easy. I quickly agree to the deal and then we all step inside the courtroom.
Inside the courtroom, the four of us juvenile delinquents are sitting together and our Public Defenders are standing in front of Judge Walters. To be honest, I am much more concerned with the thoughts in my mind than what is going on in this courtroom. That is why I do not hear what the other juvenile's Public Defenders are saying. But, then, finally, the topic of me comes up, and I perk up my listening ears. Jessica politely tells Judge Walters about the plea deal we made with the DA outside of the courtroom and the stipulations that the DA agreed to. Judge Walters looks directly at me and he asks me, "Are you alright with this decision?" I quickly nod my head and he asks me how I plead.
"Guilty," I say out loud and he asks me if I am saying this of my own volition or if I was coerced. I tell him I was not coerced and he declares that he is sentencing me to Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center in Canon City, Colorado. He says that I will be sent there immediately as soon as a bed opens up. Once that is said, he moves on to the next kid's case. I feel a sense of relief that I will be leaving Spring Creek.
After the court hearing is over, the staff has us line up in a single file line and they rechain our shackles and lead us back to the basement. We walk the Green Mile again and load up back into the transport vehicle once more. Ten minutes later, we arrived back at Spring Creek, and they told us to exit the vehicle one person at a time. We all walk back into the detention center in a line and then they take us back to our pod. I am happy that they did not put me back in the holding cell. The rest of the day seems to play out as a normal day in a juvenile detention center.
Later that evening after dinner, we all get sent to our cells during a staff meeting. I feel bored out of my mind just sitting in my cell staring at the wall. I begin doing some more push-ups to keep myself busy. A half an hour goes by and Ms. Smith starts to come by each of our cells to ask us if we would like to come out for Bible Study. Even though I am not religious, I say yes just so I can get out of my cell. She lets me come out and walk down the stairs. I see some chairs in a circle and an elderly married couple sitting down holding two Bibles. I sit down next to them and then three other guys join us. They are holding their own Bibles. The married couple introduces themselves as Mr. Jerome and Mrs. Lanette. They say they would like to open up with some prayer. I sit in silence as they pray over us. All I can think about is Kat and Amanda. I really do wonder what they are doing right now and if they are even thinking of me.
"We see you do not have a Bible, young man," Mr. Jerome says and then asks me if I would like one. I tell him that I am not religious and he says that is fine and offers me a Bible anyway. I take it just to be polite. They have us turn to the Gospel of John chapter 3. I ask the guy next to me to help me find that page and he gladly helps me. Mr. Jerome reads the passage out loud and I must admit that a certain section does resonate with me for some reason. It is verses 3-8 which has Jesus saying,
"Truly, truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"
I ask Mr. Jerome to tell me what exactly that passage means and he explains to me something about repentance. He says that it is when we realize our guilt before a holy and just God and ask for His forgiveness because of what His Son, Jesus, did on our behalf. He further says that we can only repent if the Holy Spirit makes us born again. I must admit that I do find this very intriguing. At the end of the Bible Study, I thank Mr. and Mrs. Perkins for their time and for the Bible they gave me too.
"Do you promise to read it, son?" Mr. Jerome asks me and I tell him that I will start with the Gospel of John. I figure while I am here I may as well because I have nothing else better to do besides working out. Who knows, maybe this religion thing might be beneficial. I walk back to my cell and sit down on my bed. I then open up the Bible to John chapter 1 and begin reading.
***Stay Tuned For Part 7***
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
"You're going to court today," he says "Now get in line!" I look over and see about four other guys with their hands cuffed behind their backs and feet shackled. They are standing in a single file line and I join them. Mr. Logan has us count off before we walk out of the door into the outside world. I must admit that the fresh air does feel nice on my face. Mr. Logan tells us to get in the back of this transport vehicle and to not say a word the whole trip. We are to remain silent. We all follow this order because we do not want to talk to each other anyway. I see that one of my transport buddies is the Black Guy who I beat up recently. He keeps staring at me as if he wants to have another fight. If he feels froggy, then he can leap. I have no problem beating him up again.
Ten minutes go by and finally, the transport vehicle comes to a stop. We must be at our destination. Mr. Logan and Ms. Smith opened up the back of the vehicle and told us to come out one by one and get in line. They then chain each of our shackles with each other. I guess they do this to make it even more difficult for us to run. They then have us walk down this extra-long hallway with no end in sight. I feel like we are walking the Green Mile. Finally, we make it to the end and pile into an elevator. It takes us to the first floor and the staff leads into a hallway that is outside of our courtroom. I see four public defenders standing around. I wonder which one is mine. I would find out soon enough. The staff unchained our shackles so that we could be free to talk privately with our lawyers. A blonde-haired young woman approaches me and says her name is Jessica Turner. She says she will be representing me.
"Do you understand why you are here?" She asks me and I think that is a stupid question, but I tell her what I did anyway. She then tells me that she thinks the best thing we can do is for me to take a plea deal. She explains to me that if I take this to trial and lose my punishment will be much more severe. I decided that a plea deal would be easier. Besides, I already know that I am guilty. Jessica and I meet with the DA and we explain to him that we are willing to make a plea deal. The DA seems pleased by this.
"I like to hear that, " the DA says, "I tell you what, since this is your first offense, I will recommend to the judge that you be sent to a treatment facility for 6 to 9 months and do two years of probation too. All you have to do is plead guilty to First Degree Assault. How does that sound, kid?" To be honest, that deal sounds pretty refreshing because it seems so easy. I quickly agree to the deal and then we all step inside the courtroom.
Inside the courtroom, the four of us juvenile delinquents are sitting together and our Public Defenders are standing in front of Judge Walters. To be honest, I am much more concerned with the thoughts in my mind than what is going on in this courtroom. That is why I do not hear what the other juvenile's Public Defenders are saying. But, then, finally, the topic of me comes up, and I perk up my listening ears. Jessica politely tells Judge Walters about the plea deal we made with the DA outside of the courtroom and the stipulations that the DA agreed to. Judge Walters looks directly at me and he asks me, "Are you alright with this decision?" I quickly nod my head and he asks me how I plead.
"Guilty," I say out loud and he asks me if I am saying this of my own volition or if I was coerced. I tell him I was not coerced and he declares that he is sentencing me to Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center in Canon City, Colorado. He says that I will be sent there immediately as soon as a bed opens up. Once that is said, he moves on to the next kid's case. I feel a sense of relief that I will be leaving Spring Creek.
After the court hearing is over, the staff has us line up in a single file line and they rechain our shackles and lead us back to the basement. We walk the Green Mile again and load up back into the transport vehicle once more. Ten minutes later, we arrived back at Spring Creek, and they told us to exit the vehicle one person at a time. We all walk back into the detention center in a line and then they take us back to our pod. I am happy that they did not put me back in the holding cell. The rest of the day seems to play out as a normal day in a juvenile detention center.
Later that evening after dinner, we all get sent to our cells during a staff meeting. I feel bored out of my mind just sitting in my cell staring at the wall. I begin doing some more push-ups to keep myself busy. A half an hour goes by and Ms. Smith starts to come by each of our cells to ask us if we would like to come out for Bible Study. Even though I am not religious, I say yes just so I can get out of my cell. She lets me come out and walk down the stairs. I see some chairs in a circle and an elderly married couple sitting down holding two Bibles. I sit down next to them and then three other guys join us. They are holding their own Bibles. The married couple introduces themselves as Mr. Jerome and Mrs. Lanette. They say they would like to open up with some prayer. I sit in silence as they pray over us. All I can think about is Kat and Amanda. I really do wonder what they are doing right now and if they are even thinking of me.
"We see you do not have a Bible, young man," Mr. Jerome says and then asks me if I would like one. I tell him that I am not religious and he says that is fine and offers me a Bible anyway. I take it just to be polite. They have us turn to the Gospel of John chapter 3. I ask the guy next to me to help me find that page and he gladly helps me. Mr. Jerome reads the passage out loud and I must admit that a certain section does resonate with me for some reason. It is verses 3-8 which has Jesus saying,
"Truly, truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"
I ask Mr. Jerome to tell me what exactly that passage means and he explains to me something about repentance. He says that it is when we realize our guilt before a holy and just God and ask for His forgiveness because of what His Son, Jesus, did on our behalf. He further says that we can only repent if the Holy Spirit makes us born again. I must admit that I do find this very intriguing. At the end of the Bible Study, I thank Mr. and Mrs. Perkins for their time and for the Bible they gave me too.
"Do you promise to read it, son?" Mr. Jerome asks me and I tell him that I will start with the Gospel of John. I figure while I am here I may as well because I have nothing else better to do besides working out. Who knows, maybe this religion thing might be beneficial. I walk back to my cell and sit down on my bed. I then open up the Bible to John chapter 1 and begin reading.
***Stay Tuned For Part 7***
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
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