Eric’s Story: Showing up with care changes what’s possible
Even as Eric makes meaningful progress, time in an adult facility is not the best fit for young people like him. Children deserve environments designed for growth, healing, and development. When the system does not align with those values, YSRP does not step away. We continue to show up and walk alongside our client-partners.
Today, Eric meets regularly with Alicia and Kat, both in person and via video. Those moments offer grounding and connection.
“When I have one-on-one sessions with Alicia and Kat, I almost forget I’m in jail and how we all met,” he said.
Eric speaks thoughtfully about responsibility, accountability, and the people he loves. When asked what he would want another young person in similar circumstances to hear, he emphasized the importance of family, self-reflection, and growth.
“You have to change for your family,” he said. “Even when you’re locked up, your family is in it with you. You also have to think about your victims, because they’re hurting too.”
Eric stays grounded through prayer and by staying connected to his family through letters and phone calls. Learning about milestones he has missed, including the birth of his niece, is painful, but it also strengthens his resolve.
“My body is in jail, but my mind is not,” Eric shared. “Never give up, because there’s always light in a dark room.”
When Eric began working with YSRP in October 2024, he was 16 years old and facing the possibility of decades in an adult prison. Throughout the process, his family stood firmly by his side, offering love, connection, and motivation during an incredibly difficult time. Like many young people navigating the criminal legal system, Eric also benefited from having additional caring adults in his corner, people whose role was to listen, advocate, and help him imagine a way forward.
Eric worked closely with Alicia Doorey, a YSRP Mitigation Specialist; Christina, a Youth Advocacy Project law student and YSRP intern; and Kat Bakrania, YSRP’s Director of Reentry.
“They helped me by showing up to my court dates, sending me letters, and making sure I’m okay,” Eric shared. “It finally hit me that they were really here for me.”
YSRP’s mitigation support focused on ensuring the court saw the full story of who Eric is, including the trauma he experienced, his growth, his relationships, and his capacity for change. While Eric’s case was not transferred out of adult court, this advocacy was instrumental in securing a significantly better outcome than was originally anticipated. In April 2025, his initial sentencing was reduced from decades to an offer of 2.5 to 5 years.
When Eric comes home, he wants to be a good role model and help his nephew stay on the right path. To work toward that goal, he plans to earn his high school diploma, participate in Job Corps, secure stable employment, possibly as a mail carrier, cleaner, or hospital worker, and eventually live independently on “a nice quiet block.”
“This is my chance to show my family that I’m willing to change my life,” he said. “I’m using this time to grow.”
photos by John Lopez
From top to bottom: YSRP staff, Mitigation Specialist, Alicia Doorey; Director of Reentry, Kat Bakrania; YAP Student and YSRP Intern Christina Bartzokis