J Bar J Youth Services - AT: Anti-Trafficking Project

worst program ever

I was at J bar J back in 1985 I was an out of control juvenile. I was there for over a year. They made us be Boy Scouts, tough ranch work, lots of hiking camping and went to the local high school. First time in my life to get straight A report card. I wish there was an alumni page I would love to reconnect with some of the guys I was there with. I truly believe this place saved me from my life going the wrong way. It was tough but I ended up living in the apartment there before I got to go home to my family. Is anyone still there from that long ago?

I went into JBarJ with the mentally that I was just gonna be there do my time, leave, and go back to substance. I spent just over a year there and surprisingly I learned a lot, changed my mentality to one of looking forward to a successful future, and graduated successfully as a level 4. A lot of the staff genuinely helped me a lot, most notably Jenny, Nora, and the absolute best staff driving around in a beautiful vw bus; A lot of other staff did the exact opposite and made this “rehabilitation” program feel like a detention center. JBarJ did teach me many things and I left feeling confident I could succeed in the world and live a sober and healthy lifestyle. I relapsed 2 days after I got out and slowly spiraled faster and faster since then. Yes that is my fault and I take full responsibility for my decisions, I decided to use drugs, and yet JBarJ did not prepare me for the real world and I was almost immediately overwhelmed. I had no one I felt I could talk freely to and as life-type events have gone downhill I have used exponentially more. I have since formed new relationships and more closely examined why I think and behave the way I do. JBarJ did help me in many ways that an out-patient program could not, but damn, they make some hella questionable choices, let so many questionable people get away with a lot and even graduate, and a lot of the staff were unbelievably disrespectful, purposely provoked the youth, power tripped, and I remember one time a staff specifically saying “At least I get to go home at the end of the day” which sat wrong with a lot of people. In conclusion 2/5 stars it did help in a way nothing else could have but did not prepare me for reality outside a program.