"Group home life was scary and the added adversity molded me into somebody more institutionalized than I ever thought I could become... In many ways, my group home experience was the catalyst of my rebellion later on in my teen years that caused me to engage in delinquent behaviors. It made me feel as if I would never be able to break the institutionalized mindset from living in facilities for two of my most formative years. There is a valid case to be made that no youth in the foster care or the juvenile justice system should be placed into long-term congregate care. However, I think everybody can agree that when foster youth are placed in these spaces, it sends a message that we are criminals — simply for surviving..."
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Photo by Brett Sayles