Pubdate: Fri, 24 Dec 2004
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
Copyright: 2004 News-Journal Corporation
Contact:  http://www.news-journalonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/700
Author: Deborah Circelli
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS FIND YULE, PEACE, PROMISE

DAYTONA BEACH -- A small-framed brunette stretches her arm pointing to
cloth stockings hanging from the ceiling with the names of 18 girls on
them. On the wall, a construction paper Santa Claus she made with
other teens is pictured coming down a chimney.

The 17-year-old, whose name is not being used because she is a
juvenile, won't wake up in her own bed surrounded by family on
Christmas morning.

She won't even see her mom, who is visiting her brother in another
state.

Instead, the Spruce Creek High School teen will open donated presents
with the other girls she has lived with for the past five months in
the Pines Girls Delinquency Commitment program at Stewart-Marchman
Center in Daytona Beach.

The teen, along with about 90 boys and girls from counties including
Volusia, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Seminole and Duval, have been ordered
by a court to the six-to eight-month programs for a variety of
criminal behavior, from shoplifting and battery to using or selling
drugs.

The brunette, who returns home in two weeks, said she was sent to
Stewart-Marchman after being arrested for fighting at school. She then
violated her probation by skipping school and said she had also been
smoking marijuana.

"I've learned it's not worth doing everything I used to do. It hurts
me the most," said the teen, who plans to go to college for nursing.
"And I've really learned that school should be No. 1 in my life."

She lowers her head when talking about being away from her family for
the holidays. She says "it's a little depressing," but the staff
donates gifts along with other area organizations.

"It will help me when I get home to stay on the right track so I don't
get locked up for the holidays anymore," she said. "I'll strive to
keep doing good so I'm not away from my family again."

Her mom, who lives in Daytona Beach Shores and visits twice a week,
said she was looking forward to having her daughter for Christmas.
They left presents at the center and their daughter made an ornament
for them to put on their tree "so they can feel that I'm there," the
girl said.

"Absolutely, it's going to be hard for everybody," her mom said.
"Hopefully, she will learn her lesson."

Chet Bell, executive vice president of Stewart-Marchman, said the
staff tries to celebrate the various holidays in as "traditional and
normal a manner as possible given the unusual circumstances." Outside
the buildings off Tiger Bay Road, icicle lights hang from the roof and
the teens painted snow and other designs on the windows. Trees also
are decorated inside the buildings.

"Not being together can be traumatic for people," Bell said. "We try
to make it as normal as it can be in an abnormal setting."

Many of the families will visit on Christmas and eat dinner with the
staff and teens. Church groups also come during the holidays to sing
and provide gifts.

About 20 of the youth have furloughs to go home on Christmas for 24 or
48 hours, Bell said. Others may have used their passes previously or
they have not been there long enough to qualify.

An 18-year-old Lake County teen will be home with her mom and sisters
for the holiday and return the day after Christmas. She'll then go
home for good on Jan. 14. The teen, who was using drugs and dropped
out of school, says she's learned not to take things for granted.

"Every little thing is a privilege," said the blonde, who wants to get
her GED and go to college for cosmetology. "It's been a wake-up call
for me. I either learn my lesson now or I'll be in a worse place."

In a boys program nearby, teens played basketball outside earlier this
week.

One 14-year-old arrived nine days ago after getting out of juvenile
detention, where he had been for 21 days. At just 5 feet tall, the
seventh-grader said he got in trouble for hitting a teacher at Silver
Sands Middle School and not going to school for two months.

His grandmother and great-grandmother plan to visit him on Christmas.
He says he'd rather be at Stewart-Marchman than in juvenile detention,
where he was for Thanksgiving.

"Yeah, I miss my biological family, but I'm part of a family here
too," he said. "We all act like brothers here."

An 18-year-old Mount Dora teen, who dropped out of school in the 10th
grade, said it's going to be hard missing dinner with his siblings and
extended family. His grandmother, who he lives with, plans to visit.

He's been in the program for five months. He was arrested for
possession of cocaine and said he'd been selling drugs for about a
year.

"I know that's not a good choice anymore," he said. "It's not worth it
being locked up just for the money and the pleasure when you can have
your freedom."
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MAP posted-by: Derek