When I first came to Her Majesty's Penitentiary, it was 1974. I was only seventeen -years-old and it was my first time being locked up. I was going through hard times because I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know what to do.

I was lost and I was afraid at the same time. I thought I had to be tough and bad, but I wasn't that kind of person. I just reacted to fear. I was treated badly so I defended myself like a wolf would do when cornered on a mountain. It can't get away from the bottom or the top or from either or the sides. So, 1 was trapped in every way.

I lived with au abusive family. I never got far in school because I started to get into trouble with the teachers and other students. I needed attention and the only way I could get any attention was to fight with students and teachers.

Today I can look back on all of this. I did it the wrong way. Now that I can look back, I regret it all because back then there was no way to get the help that is available today. The trouble I caused was the only way I could get away from my abusive father and other relatives. I got tired of all that so I started breaking the law in order to survive and to get away from my home (Labrador).

It's funny now that I'm here writing this article. I can look back at all of this. I am here now in this generation and I am older now. Thank God I can see things with better eyes and a better mind but I made a mistake due to my anger and frustration because of all I went through.

There were more hard times that I didn't deal with from my past. I wasn't able to think about them because I got into drugs. I got into hard drugs, cocaine, heroine, speed and prescription drugs.

Today, I can deal with those problems through better counseling and therapy and a better understanding of myself. There are also better counselors and therapists that I can talk to. All I had to do was reach out for better help. I realize now there are many ways to get the help that I need so I have taken full advantage of the help available. I am clean now and able to think better and I can talk to others who understand my problems and give me the help I need.