**This book contains extreme descriptions of violence, sexual situations and drug abuse. Reader discretion is advised** This is the story of teenagers that had to leave their homes because of horrible family situations and forced survive on the streets. They had to navigate a barrage of readily available drugs, traps set by Pimps looking to subjugate them and avoid falling prey to the criminals looking for easy prey. Unfortunately, life isn't fair and not everyone who deserves a fair chance will get one. This story doesn't end well...

Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times Set amid the havoc of the War on Drugs, this New York Times bestseller is an "astonishingly intimate" (New York magazine) chronicle of one family’s triumphs and trials in the South Bronx of the 1990s. “Unmatched in depth and power and grace. A profound, achingly beautiful work of narrative nonfiction…The standard-bearer of embedded reportage.” —Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted In her classic bestseller, journalist Adrian Nicole LeBlanc immerses readers in the world of one family with roots in the Bronx, New York. In 1989, LeBlanc approached Jessica, a young mother whose encounter with the carceral state is about to forever change the direction of her life. This meeting redirected LeBlanc’s reporting, taking her past the perennial stories of crime and violence into the community of women and children who bear the brunt of the insidious violence of poverty. Her book bears witness to the teetering highs and devastating lows in the daily lives of Jessica, her family, and her expanding circle of friends. Set at the height of the War on Drugs, Random Family is a love story—an ode to the families that form us and the families we create for ourselves. Charting the tumultuous struggle of hope against deprivation over three generations, LeBlanc slips behind the statistics and comes back with a riveting, haunting, and distinctly American true story.

An authoritative, broad, and practical survey of the social, psychological, and physical development of American teenagers. In Adolescence in America, more than 100 leading experts from the fields of biology, medicine, behavioral and social science, law, education, and the humanities piece together the puzzle of adolescence. In readable, accessible language they analyze the explosion of research that has reshaped the study of adolescence in the last 30 years and explain how today's leading scientists and practitioners view the challenges of this developmental period. Best of all, they show parents how to apply the latest scientific knowledge, such as the 40 "developmental assets" that predict a child's behavior, to their own family situation.

It’s question many of us have pondered with frequency as a writer in my imagination towards fiction stories trying a good writer asking myself whether I could or otherwise. The question raised in my vision, when I decided to write this fiction story it’s mostly based that what happened around us an inspiring exploration of how people transform their life. A template of how we could answer this kind of question each-others. Although comes from poor background and search of individuals, who have struggled to find their ultimate goal, their true nature.

This one-of-a kind book challenges the current thinking about black girls to show how America has failed them—and what can be done to make their lives better. African American girls are one of the United States' most endangered populations, yet meaningful explorations of the issues that impact their lives are almost nonexistent. In this riveting book, led by one of the African American community's best-known scholars, experts from across the nation explain the risks, challenges, and influences—both good and bad—faced by black girls and teens. The work shows how our society is failing them, and it outlines what can and should be done to help these young women lead happier, healthier, more successful lives. The book covers a wide range of concerns, including obesity, substance abuse, sex trafficking, gangs, teen pregnancy, and suicide attempts. Stress, low self-esteem, anger, aggression, and violence are explored, as are failures of our education system and of a legal system that tends to victimize young black women. A substantial section on parenting and mentoring discusses ways to counter the negative influences that are a constant for many black girls and adolescents. It is time for American society to recognize and react to the realities these young women face, making this book a must-read for caring parents, teachers, nurses, guidance counselor, doctors, school administrators, and school board members.

Abstracts: This hearing examines violence committed by and against America's children. Testimony is received from officials in the law enforcement and judicial systems, criminologists, public health of officials, psychiatrists and educators about the reasons for the pervaise violent behavior and what might be done about it.

A New York Times bestseller—over one million copies sold! A National Book Award winner A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live. With a forward by Markus Zusak, interviews with Sherman Alexie and Ellen Forney, and black-and-white interior art throughout, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike.