[giantfan270]

Some of this I agree with and some I do not. I find it hard to believe in any neighborhood its impossible to get a job at a mcdonalds, gas station, library, after school program, etc. Kids are simply lazy. If my opinion is off then how did the survive the first 17 years of his life? Someone had to heave been taking pretty good care of him. If he was in school then things shouldn't be has bad as your are painting. If the parents can afford to pay for his schooling Im sure he has some Ramen noodles he could eat. He simply wanted the extra cash so he went to the easiest route to make extra cash. I can speak from personal experience. I too have a 17 brother who makes stupid choices. My parents dont have money and they werent exactly the best parents in the world. The difference is I chose to not deal dope for extra cash. I chose to cut grass. I used to make $175 a week when I was 17 cutting grass legally. I paid for my own lawnmower and my own gas. If you have the will power you can do anything in this world regardless where you were brought up. I realize some places are tougher than others and maybe I cant exactly relate to these places however I do know if you want to better your life you always have a choice.

Your assuming a lot of things. I know some kids that made it, that never had one bit of help from their parents. They are resilient and a lot of kids that grow up that way are determined to make it better for their kids. Good people in bad situations. Not all, but a lot of em. Your right, some kids make conscience bad decisions, but that kid wouldn't still be in school at 17. There are kids in my kids school who only get to eat, when they are at school. The teachers worry sick about them because they see how depressed the kids get on Fridays because they wont eat again until school on Monday. During the summers, they hardly eat at all. These kids hate when school is out, because at home they have nothing. Not even parents that care. They didn't ask to be in that situation. They have no choice. I realize it's almost impossible for most folks to understand, but I've seen some real good kids have to do things they didn't want to do, just to live. Sad that it happens in America, but it's the reality of inner city youth. If you give everyone of those kids a real opportunity to make their own way in this world, 95% of them would succeed without breaking the law.