“I arrived in handcuffs, and I was scared, but the first thing I heard when I arrived [at Inner Harbour] was you don’t have anything to worry about anymore.”
These are the words of Joshua, 18, who didn’t quite understand how to deal with his emotions and mental health. His journey with Youth Villages is a testament to the importance of understanding a child’s or young adult’s mental health.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the average age of juvenile offenders in Georgia is between 13 and 17 years old. Joshua fit into this statistic at 17 years old after being incarcerated. His journey of navigating depression and self-doubt led him to hanging with the wrong crowd and experimenting with marijuana. Joshua was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder and smoking triggered that disorder.