CTRIBAT Summer Leadership Program (Tour/Interactive Workshop at Whalley Avenue Jail)"CHOICES" July 12, 2006On Wednesday July 12, 2006

CTRIBAT Summer Leadership Program (Tour/Interactive Workshop at Whalley Avenue Jail)"CHOICES" July 12, 2006On Wednesday July 12, 2006, CTRIBAT Summer Leadership Program began the day at 9:00 A.M. Approximately 15 young Black Males ages 12-17 years old showed up to attend that day’s event. The students showed up early and eager to go. They had known for about a week that they would be traveling to the Whalley Avenue Jail for a tour. I did not tell them that they would actually get locked in a jail cell for a period of time. They were assuming that they would be eating lunch there as well.9:30 A.M. rolled around and they were antsy. The tour was not until 1:00 P.M. and they had to now learn how to use a new tool, patients. Little did they know, we had scheduled a video for them to watch prior to the Jail Tour. So we all walked over to the Stetson Public Library and viewed the Documentary Film “N-Word” By Todd Williams. At first, the content of the video did not capture their attention. The majority of the felt that the subject matter did not apply to them. So we stopped the film and had an open discussion about how they are viewed in America and how they view themselves.The day moved on and we could feel that they were definitely thinking about the Jail. “What’s for lunch? We eating boloney sandwiches in jail?”No. We feed them turkey and cheese on whole wheat. Some of them frowned as they picked up the sandwiches because, they really don’t eat whole wheat bread. From the conversations we heard, it was not because they did not like it. I was because whole wheat bread cost too much and the area corner store does not really carry it.We then met after lunch. “It’s time to go!”One of the boys slipped off and went back home. We did not pressure him, because he had told us earlier in the morning that his father was in jail. So we figured that it would be a sensitive issue for him.We arrived at the Whalley Avenue Jail in New Haven, Connecticut. The students had walked about three blocks over to meet us. Once in side, we were met by Correctional Officer Fred Williams. He has over 20 years of experience as a correctional officer. He apparently was one of the first officers to run the “CHOICES” program that we would be participating in on that day. Fred Williams was no joke! Black Male well built, tall and tough. After addressing the boys in the waiting room, his voice wiped every smile off their silly faces.“Empty your pockets! Spit out that gum! You better not have any weapons on you! If you have money, keep it in your pockets! If you pass money to anyone while in here on this tour it is a Felony charge! Gentlemen, this is a State facility and you now belong to me.”After that, even our CTRIBAT staff was scared and two of us were police officers.Officer Reggie Lytle also accompanied Williams on the tour. Officer Lytle and CTRIBAT Founder Shafiq Abdussabur grew up together in the same neighborhood of the current CTRIBAT students.The tour lasted approximately two hours and during that time students were locked up in actual cells for a brief period to experience the real deal. After the tour, students were instructed to write an essay about their experience at the Jail. Some of the student's essays have been published in blogs. Other CTRIBAT Leadership Retreat 2006 first time camping read this blog.

When I Went to Jail-CTRIBAT Student Essay

When I Went to Jail

When I went to Jail[1], I know it was not a good place to go because I saw that they had to sleep on these things and you have to use a dirty bathroom. And when they take showers, they still have to put back on the same dirty clothes every day. And you can’t use the phone until the guard[2] tells you that you can use it.

You do not want to go to jail because when you go in, you would not even see day light until you get out. When I went in there I was scared and when I came home I was so scared that one day. I would not go back in there because I do not want to be in a jail with other men.

I would try my hardest not to go back there!

Student Essay written by 13 year old student of the CTRIBAT Leadership Summer Pilot

[1] Tour of Whalley Avenue Correctional Facility, Located in New Haven, Connecticut
[2] Correctional Officer

My Experience of a Jail Tour

I went to the Whalley Avenue Jail on July 12, 2006 for a tour and I did not believe my eyes. There were at least one hundred people in Jail who were Black, White, Hispanic, young and old.
Jail is not a happy place. 100% dirty from the sink to the toilet to even the bathtub. In fact, I don’t even think the water is clean or if they have any soap to wash with, they have no air conditioners and the facility was made of nothing but steel and concrete from the ground up. I thought they’re uniforms were black and white but they’re actually tan, I also learned that the inmates of the jail didn’t even have beds they slept in small plastic toboggans.

I was very surprised when I saw some inmates watching television. The jail even has a basketball court. I also saw about twenty correctional officers, two metal detectors, three control booths, and thirty cameras. You can’t even bring gum in jail, but I wonder how do so many people end up in jail at the same time?

Any how I’ll make sure that I don’t end up in jail because I know now that jail is not a happy fun filled amusement with a free personal hotel next to it were you can go to the amusement park and play until you vomit about twenty times and then go to your hotel room and relax. Jail is not like living at your rich best friend’s house and being the Prince of New Haven, the Hood, or the universe. You have to realize this jail is real. No one should have to go there for any reason because most of the time when life is taken away from you it doesn’t come back to person who has been locked up. I hope this essay will help people stay away from jail and changed the way we look at life so here’s my message.

STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND STAY AWAY FROM JAIL!

Essay was written by 12 year old CTRIBAT Junior Instructor