JOY Stories - Jamie
I grew up in the projects. At times we only had cereal and powdered milk, or Government cheese and toast. Lack was a big part of my life but so was violence. I learned at an early age that if I wanted to survive, I was gonna have to be the toughest kid in the neighborhood. I didn't know my Dad, but once I saw a pair of boots and my Mom said, "I'll tell you about him when you're older". Even though I didn't know him, my Dad was my role model because he had the respect of our neighborhood for being someone you didn't mess with.
I was exposed to drugs, alcohol, and shoplifting at a very young age. The first time I was incarcerated was at 14 years old when I stole a car. At 17 years old, I found myself addicted to crack cocaine and looking at two life sentences. During my lifetime of arrest, I had been incarcerated 54 times.
I went to church once when I was a kid. It was to go to a family funeral. My aunt had killed my uncle right in front of me when I was five. The only other time I was
