"ASCENSION OF THE SOUL"
By Leonard Jackson

OBSERVATION

In the beginning of the class a statement was made about the outside students' concern about self labeling and identifying oneself with their crime.

I found this interesting that the two individuals that most identified themselves through their crime were White.

I was also surprised at the lack of knowledge displayed about the effect of light in the form of colors has on the psyche. Although Chippa did state that prisons are painted a certain color because of the calming effect that it has on inmates. I just thought that at least one of the college students would elaborate on the subject of light refraction and optical nerve stimulation.

I noticed that Islam did comment on something that I had spoke about, which is the animalistic nature of man causing random acts & responses to certain triggers.

Which caused me to approach this paper in this particular manner.

ANALYSIS AND INTEGRATION

What is violence? The Oxford American College Dictionary defines it as:
Behavior involving physical force instead to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.

So the next question I ask is. Are animals violent?

In order for us to comprehend these behavior traits we have to look at the whole spectrum of social patterns in the human composition - bestial and spiritual.

The labeling of these acts as violent and evil lends to the individual character traits that are toxic. For example, if a person has a nickname of Killer, what will be his reaction to a situation that calls for any form of altercation. More than likely to kill.

We have to be aware of the biological psychiatry that causes these behavior patterns. Such as puberty.

Dr. Garbarino uses a quote from Marie Winn's book Children Without Childhood, which was "Myth of the teenage werewolf": The idea that well behaved and nice children become monsters when the hormonal surges of adolescence take over. (Lost Boys pg. 70)

This becomes true when an element of adolescent development is non-existent in today's society. Which is the rite of passage.

The rite of passage is a tool used for character and social development that allowed for the child to become cultivated to take his or her position within the social structure.

This is where the dos and don'ts are learned. Also where the child learns what is socially accepted by the environment in which it is being reared.

I believe this is what Dr. Garbarino means when he states: "From a social biological perspective, one can say that children face different opportunities and risks for development because of their mental and physical makeup and because of the social environment they inhabit and because of how well their inborn traits match up with what their social environment offers, demands, rewards, and punishes." (Lost Boys pg. 72)

Human babies are born vulnerable. Totally dependent upon its parent/s to provide, nurture, and guide it during its beginning stages. From birth and throughout its adolescence to adulthood.

Now if a child is left vulnerable in these beginning stages death may occur. And this death can come in three different forms. Physical, mental, and spiritual.

In today's society we don't guard against a mental or spiritual death. We don't even know what the bringers of this type of death looks like.

Well, let me tell you of the first assailants. Violent parents, cartoons, movies, and video games. This is the first wave of attack on the child's psyche, which takes place in the home.

Then you have the outside influences - gangs, peer pressure, drugs, bullies, and child abusers.

As Dr. Garbarino reflected, "I myself was a difficult infant, and toddler - cranky, troublesome, willful, and aggressive." (Lost Boys pg. 75)

Then he states: "But by the time I reached adolescences, my aggressive days were over and I became something of a model citizen." (Lost Boys pg. 75)

You can trace his upward development to several determining factors that were present in his life during these crucial stages of his development. Such as a support system which kept him from fearing attack, abuse, and vulnerability. Dr. Garbarino made this known when he stated: "When I reached adolescence, I went to a small High School where I felt safe and was taught by teachers who cared for me. There were no gangs, guns, or drugs in my neighborhood." (Lost Boys pg. 75)

I have found from my own experiences that most of these behavioral problems start around the age of twelve years of age and up. When these children start becoming aware of their social environment, and their place within its structure. Mostly they become aware of their sexuality, which brings about the mating ritual, another trigger for violent behavior.

Natural selection - which is the term prescribed for the process of evolution - means that the strongest survive. So usually females will be attracted to the most adaptive male displaying these characteristics, which are the most beneficial for the perpetuation of the species.

When this comes into play, ego and pride present themselves, with all of their side effects, the worst being shame. Which brought about this statement by Dr. Garbarino: "A study by psychologist Jeremy Shapiro and his colleges in Cleveland reveals that a series of four motives plays a central role in whether or not a child or teenager will be drawn to guns. The first motive is called the aggressive response to shame, which refers to the code of honor that says, 'if someone insults you, you have to fight'; kids who have incorporated this belief are more likely than other kids to be drawn to guns." (Lost Boys pg. 103)

REACTION

When I was thirteen, I could not see past the age of twenty-five. Death was all around me, and it had a strong impact on my young psyche. Most of all it triggered my primal instinct to survive by any means - fight or flight.

There weren't any grief counselors in my school or neighborhood to help me cope or understand what I was experiencing. Or the abnormalities of those incidents.

No, I was left vulnerable, unattended to, and left to become a victim or victimizer. Those were my options. Death or prison.

"Ask a lost fifteen-year-old, 'What do you expect to be when you are thirty?'; and he says 'dead'." (Lost Boys pg. 118)

At fifteen I did my first bit incarcerated. At thirty I was awaiting trial for murder.