Latrice

Latrice lifted the sleeve of her gray sweatshirt to reveal small, dark lines — scars from slicing her forearm over and over to dull the pain from years of sexual abuse. She said she was an alcoholic, dropped out of school in the eighth grade and got pregnant at 16.

Now 18, she was in Los Angeles County’s juvenile justice system for having violated probation. Latrice said she had been locked up more than 20 times in four years. Petite and talkative, she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and takes antidepressants.

Tapping her leg nervously, Latrice said she hoped to keep seeing doctors and therapists after her release from Camp Scudder. She knew her past is what got her in trouble and she wanted to change her future; she wants to become a nurse. “My daughter is my motivation,” she said.

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Gorman, Anna. (2013, March 16).  Addressing girls’ health needs at juvenile detention centers.  Los Angeles Times.