True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year at Juvenile Hall, by Mark Salzman
I read this book because I’m intrigued by the problems I’m seeing with our society’s youth, and continue to be interested in why our children are growing up angry, confused, hurt, and isolated.
In True Notebooks, a non-fiction work, author Mark Salzman volunteers to teach creative writing at a juvenile detention center in Los Angeles County, California. He gathers twice a week at the facility with a group of under-18 male youths who have been previously charged with serious crimes, and after trial and sentencing, may face adult time in a penitentiary, some for life.
Initially, Salzman was hesitant to take on this role, but was encouraged throughout by a nun who knew he had the compassion and skills to draw out what was best in these boys. I felt like I was Salzman, especially in his wide-eyed alarm at how the guards operated, and how they dealt with the detained youth with their world-weary faces and tough street language. Salzman managed gradually to get these boys to open up through writing about their fears, their dreams, and their life situations. Every boy in his class had a tragic story to tell and by hearing it directly from them, I could better comprehend why they committed crimes in the first place.
They often told stories of abuse and neglect, by one or both of their parents. They felt abandoned, unheard, and became part of gangs. I learned about the gang mentality, the importance of fitting in, of pride, and of getting even. And sadly, so many of these kids were broken as a result. Salzman’s class was often the only thing these boys looked forward to because they could express themselves honestly, and their thoughts and words were heard, not only by Salzman, but by the other kids in the group. That not only brought them closer together, but the students became the envy of other kids in the facility who then wanted to join the creative writing class.
The setting is raw and the experiences are gripping. I found the experiences moving, as did Salzman, just reading the students’ works. Over time, the author gains the kids’ acceptance, as he patiently listens to their often crude and profane dialogue. And, what’s most rewarding is that the students begin to learn and understand themselves better through their writing. I hope that this understanding can give them hope, something they all seem to lack in a world where they’ve grown up without positive role models.
