Juvenile offenders portray gang experiences

The Drama Kings of the Los Prietos Boys' Camp shared their experiences with gangs through dramatic interpretation Tuesday at Allan Hancock College.

The presentation was the third in a series of four forums the college is hosting that explore the issue of gangs along the Central Coast.

“We feel that what you see tonight might change your perspective,” said Nancy Taylor, addressing the audience before the performance.

Taylor is the probation institutions supervisor for the Santa Barbara County Probation Department, which runs the Boys Camp.

The forums are sponsored by the Fund for Santa Barbara County, which held similar programs last year in Lompoc.

The success of the Lompoc programs prompted organizers to contact Hancock about bringing the series to Santa Maria.

Topics touched upon include the extent and severity of the gang problem on the Central Coast in general, and the Santa Maria Valley in particular.

So far, the Santa Maria forums have featured experts from the Santa Maria Police Department's Gang Suppression Team, and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Last week, former gang members spoke about why they joined gangs and what prompted them to turn things around and leave gang life behind for good.

Tuesday night, the Drama Kings shared their stories.

The Los Padres National Forest-based boys' camp is an intervention program for juvenile offenders who are court-ordered to take part in the program, usually in lieu of a stint at Juvenile Hall.

Membership in the Drama Kings is only extended to those “campers” who are nearing graduation from the program and have made strides in improving their behavior.

Sitting on crates in front of a captive audience at Marian Theater, one-by-one, the young teens told of how they ended up in “camp,” their aspirations for the future, and what they have learned from the entire experience.

Because they are juvenile offenders, the boys' last names are being withheld to protect their privacy.

The crimes the teens committed which landed them at Boys' Camp ranged from stealing a parent's car to smoking pot and gang banging to fighting.

While telling their stories, the boys also took responsibility for their crimes, and talked about what they missed most about life outside of Los Prietos.

For Evan, the time away from his baby girl was the most painful part of his incarceration.

He told of how he was first incarcerated when his daughter was just five-months-old, and she how did not recognize him when the pair was reunited several months later.

“It's the worse thing you can imagine,” Evan said, as his voice faltered and his hands shook ever so slightly.

Later on during his performance, he vowed: “When I get out, I'll never miss another day in my baby girl's life.”

Following the performance was a question and answer session in which the forum was opened to allow the audience to ask the boys questions.

When asked what they believe contributes to the gang problem, the boys named factors such as boredom and peer pressure.

Bruce Severance praised the boys for their performance, and said he hoped the boys would rise above their experience by educating other “at-risk” kids.

“It's enlightening,” he said. “Because you're being as courageous as you are .... you're in a unique position to help others.”

The fourth and final forum takes place March 4 in the Hancock Santa Maria Campus Student Center from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Local nonprofit agencies will discuss their programs and help identify solutions and local resources.

For more information, call 922-6966 or toll-free 1-866-342-5242, ext. 3209.

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

February 27, 2008