By 11, I was heavily into drinking and drugs. By 16, I was selling drugs and had burglarized a home to support my habit.
I was living in a group home, and my social worker found out about it. I am white. She gave me a chance others in the home (specifically, those who happened to be born with brown skin) did not often get: avoid Juvenile Detention by going to drug treatment.
I chose a hospital and slippers over pre-prison. I used my second chance to turn things around, went to college, went to law school, then became a therapist.
Who knows what I will do next with my life free from prison.