A safe place

More sobering was the fact that, although most of the youth acknowledged that dealing and using drugs were wrong and illegal (as reflected in their survey and focus group responses), many considered these activities a necessity for money or to escape everyday life. These youth were very open about their daily "reality," which for many involved guns, violence, poverty, homelessness, and fear. For these youth, involvement in the program was very important because, as one youth explained, "It gave us a safe place to spend time and it provided us with an opportunity to feel good about ourselves."