Discussion Questions

• Patrick says he was usually a good kid, but that off and on he’d get an “I don’t care,” attitude. Later, when he was jacking people, he’d go into the “I don’t care,” feelings to avoid facing what he was doing to his victims. Is it possible to be a good kid in one part of your life, and a bad kid in another part?

• Why do you think Patrick is able to rob and hurt people—and then sell drugs in his community—even when he knows it’s wrong?

• Patrick says he had a good foster parents for lots of years. Do you think there’s anything else that adults could have done to help Patrick avoid getting into crime, or was it going to happen no matter what? If there was something adults could have done, what is it? If you think his “crime phase” was inevitable, why?

• Patrick says his crime days are over. Do you believe him? If so, what makes you believe him? What things have made it possible for him to change (in his situation and in his own attitudes). If not, why don’t you believe he’s really changed?

• If Patrick is going to stay out of jail in the future, what are the most important things he’ll have to do? What do you think will be his greatest temptations?

Roleplay: Patrick and a member of his old gang. The gang member tells Patrick they’re going out to jack some people, and invites Patrick to come along. Patrick doesn’t want to go.