Nearly half a century ago, a star-crossed adolescent found himself at an important crossroads. Just five months shy of his eighteenth birthday and newly released from an 18-month court commitment to the Pennsylvania George Junior Republic School for Boys (Brown, 1983), a congregate facility for court-adjudicated delinquents and foster youth, he…

Troubled children need models of hope to transcend adversity. This article provides sketches of individuals who have overcome turbulent backgrounds to make notable contributions to humanity.

This first person account opens a window onto the inner world of a troubled youth. This narrative describes a young boy's personal account of being dropped off at a facility for troubled youth, in hopes that his behavior will change.

In this article, a former troubled youth who is now an expert on resilience shares his experience and provides youth a guided exercise in turning their own lives around. The ex-juvenile delinquent stresses the importance of setting goals claiming that goals are things to shoot for, like getting your chores done or saving your money to buy a car.…

That even those young people most at risk of continuing a life of dysfunction can and do overcome incredible odds is becoming increasingly evident. Children are wondrously resilient creatures capable of surviving harsh experiences and transforming them into personal strengths. This ability to surmount life's obstacles builds character and instills…

Narrates the experiences of a youth in correctional school and mental health treatment programs so as to show the pivotal role education plays in reversing antisocial behavior. Focuses on predisposing factors for problems, the major impact of correctional education influences, and the challenges surrounding public school reentry. (RJM)

Discusses the many problems that youth-at-risk face and what can be done to help them succeed. Focuses on insights gleaned from former childcare clients and factors that they identify as contributing to their resilience and subsequent success. Looks at principles that may predict outcomes of childcare. (RJM)