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‘Jail Is for the Birds. No One Belongs There.’ ‘Jail Is for the Birds. No One Belongs There.’
(about 3 hours later)
Adalid DeJesus does not remember a lot about his childhood, but he knows this much: It was not a happy time for his family. “It was rough. It was bad,” he said.Adalid DeJesus does not remember a lot about his childhood, but he knows this much: It was not a happy time for his family. “It was rough. It was bad,” he said.
Mr. DeJesus arrived in New York with his parents when he was 2, leaving the mountainous town of Utuado in Puerto Rico for a neighborhood in Brooklyn. They came in search of a better life, but all he remembers are disagreements between his parents and the presence of drugs.Mr. DeJesus arrived in New York with his parents when he was 2, leaving the mountainous town of Utuado in Puerto Rico for a neighborhood in Brooklyn. They came in search of a better life, but all he remembers are disagreements between his parents and the presence of drugs.
As he grew up, Mr. DeJesus saw drug runners from his apartment window and drug users in his building’s hallways, a temptation right outside his door. He got involved by making deliveries for dealers.As he grew up, Mr. DeJesus saw drug runners from his apartment window and drug users in his building’s hallways, a temptation right outside his door. He got involved by making deliveries for dealers.
“You could make $200 or $300 easy,” he said.“You could make $200 or $300 easy,” he said.
Then he went from being a person in the supply chain to a user. “I was my best customer,” Mr. DeJesus said. When he was 30, he was arrested on drug charges and awaited trial at the Rikers Island jail for a year. He thought he would receive probation and not face serious time in prison, but he was wrong. Then he went from being a person in the supply chain to a user. “I was my best customer,” Mr. DeJesus said. When he was 30, he was arrested on drug charges, and he awaited trial for a year at the Rikers Island jail. He thought he would receive probation and not face serious time in prison, but he was wrong.
He was convicted and spent three years at the Clinton Correctional Facility in northern New York.He was convicted and spent three years at the Clinton Correctional Facility in northern New York.
“It really scared me. Jail is for the birds. No one belongs there,” he said. “Prison scared me so deep that I stopped selling altogether.” “It really scared me,” he said. “Jail is for the birds. No one belongs there. Prison scared me so deep that I stopped selling altogether.”
Out of prison, Mr. DeJesus could not resist the lure of using drugs, trapped in the revolving door of rehab facilities — at least 15 stints that he can remember — and failing to sustain sobriety.Out of prison, Mr. DeJesus could not resist the lure of using drugs, trapped in the revolving door of rehab facilities — at least 15 stints that he can remember — and failing to sustain sobriety.
“Every time I would come out of the facility, I had money, so it was easy for me to get the drugs,” he said. Finally, Mr. DeJesus said, it hit him: It was “time to grow up, time to live my life,” he said. “Every time I would come out of the facility, I had money, so it was easy for me to get the drugs,” he said. Finally, Mr. DeJesus said, it hit him: It was “time to grow up, time to live my life.”
“It took me 20 years to stop, and I am tired,” he said.“It took me 20 years to stop, and I am tired,” he said.
Mr. DeJesus now lives in a so-called three-quarter house in Brooklyn, a branch of outpatient substance-abuse treatment for the poor, and does janitorial work there. He cleans the space and is in charge of unlocking the door in the morning and closing it at curfew.Mr. DeJesus now lives in a so-called three-quarter house in Brooklyn, a branch of outpatient substance-abuse treatment for the poor, and does janitorial work there. He cleans the space and is in charge of unlocking the door in the morning and closing it at curfew.
Mr. DeJesus said his focus was on trying to avoid trouble and the temptations of drugs. He He calls his sister every day just to stay connected. Mr. DeJesus said his focus was on trying to avoid trouble and the temptations of drugs. He calls his sister every day just to stay connected.
“She worries. She wants to make sure I am alive,” he said. “That helps.” “She worries — she wants to make sure I am alive,” he said. “That helps.”
As he is rebuilding, he is trying to experience the life he missed while he was on drugs and in prison. Mr. DeJesus recently visited his son in Florida and learned he is a grandfather. As he is rebuilding, he is trying to experience the life he missed while he was on drugs and in prison. Mr. DeJesus recently visited his son in Florida and learned he was a grandfather.
“It was amazing to watch her run around,” Mr. DeJesus said about his granddaughter. “I couldn’t believe it.”“It was amazing to watch her run around,” Mr. DeJesus said about his granddaughter. “I couldn’t believe it.”
In order to build a life that includes them, Mr. DeJesus still has a lot of changes to make. He needs a job. But with limited income, he worried he did not have the proper clothing for a job interview. To build a life that includes them, Mr. DeJesus still has a lot of changes to make. He needs a job. But with limited income, he worried he did not have the proper clothing for a job interview.
Mr. DeJesus receives $194 in food stamps and $123 in public assistance a month. He pays $215 a month in rent. With the help of Brooklyn Community Services, one of the eight organizations supported by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, he received a $150 gift card to Burlington Coat Factory to buy clothes.Mr. DeJesus receives $194 in food stamps and $123 in public assistance a month. He pays $215 a month in rent. With the help of Brooklyn Community Services, one of the eight organizations supported by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, he received a $150 gift card to Burlington Coat Factory to buy clothes.
With a newfound confidence for an interview and with hopes of moving into his own apartment, Mr. DeJesus looks forward to spending time with his family. With newfound confidence for an interview and with hopes of moving into his own apartment, Mr. DeJesus looks forward to spending time with his family.
“I spent a lot of time on myself,” he said. “Now it’s all about my family.”“I spent a lot of time on myself,” he said. “Now it’s all about my family.”