The Needs of At-Risk Youth

From book 'Needs' by Grace E. Reed

Author’s Statement

These poems and short stories reflect the life experiences of addicted youth at-risk who were unsuccessful in their communities and were placed in juvenile justice. Life is especially hard
for addicted at-risk youth who have failed past treatment. The RAD unit was
their last chance for better choices. The youth who wrote their poems were ages
13 to 17 and influenced my poems that reflect societal attitudes, need for
understanding, and the struggle to understand what needs to change.

We are losing youth at an alarming rate to drugs. We need a new way of dealing with this loss. Economic changes, use of nonviolent communication, revamped educational and juvenile justice
systems are essential.

The need for restorative and transformative models of justice, such as the RAD unit, is evident. This book is dedicated to that effort. The poems will become lighter as the light of true
justice shines on The Youth of RAD and all like them.

May the Grace of fairness find us all on our journey to compassionate justice.

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