Oral History

I interviewed one of my old neighbors Jim, he is 19 years old. He was in juvenile hall for 6 months, just last year he got out.

Where did you grow up??
I lived in Pilsen all my childhood until I moved to 26th when I was 14 years old and I been living here ever since.

How was it like growing up there?
Well it is hard. As a kid I remember I couldn’t go out side a lot because there was always gang bangers or people looking for trouble. I think that was one of the main reasons we moved, but it wasn’t much of a difference from where we came from. The same troubles where there just different streets. It was still as dangerous, but I am older when I came to 26th street. so I was old side a lot more then when I lived in Pilsen. I was curious to meet new people and know the area. I guess that when I started getting into trouble hanging out with the wrong people. I even joined a gang until I got locked up

What did you do?
He was quite for a while and said, “I rather not talk about that.”

Well how was it like after you got out of juvi?
Life got a lot harder. People treat you differently, just because you locked up. Neighbors and even some family members see me differently as if I’m going to robe them or do something to them.

Do you feel any marginalization from society?
Yes. I was kicked out of school, and now no other school would take me in. Its even a lot harder to find a job when they see you where in jail, they reject you right away. And that’s not fair because I could be the most prepared and qualified to do the job but as soon as they see I don’t have a clean record they choose the other person that is not prepared or qualified. Even people that found out I was in jail have lost all the confidence in me. When I go to some ones house they will be looking at me all the time so I wont steel nothing.

Do you feel powerlessness?
Yes because it is hard to change peoples minds about how they see people that where in juvenile or jail. The way the society is constructed is to look at the people that gout of of jail or juvenile as bad people. But the people don’t see that we paid the time for our crimes. it’s a powerlessness feeling because its beyond my control.