Johnnie Bennnett

As a former at-risk youth I made decisions that affected my life and the lives of the community that I was in. I faced consequences that landed me in the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. I was able to use that time to understand that the circumstances of my youth played a major role in my decision making. I then educated myself and was named the president of the Youth Adult Awareness Program (YAAP). A program that was in contact with surrounding areas and juvenile institutions who would bring their at-risk youth to Avenal State Prison to speak with myself, and other inmates. We would conduct tours on active prison yards. I was able to change the program from a “Scared Straight Program” (where most inmates graduated from with an obvious failure rate). I was able to quickly realized that a switch to “Sharing not Scaring” would reach those youth and propelled YAAP into a program with a history of success. I have trained inmates in different techniques to finding common ground with even the hardest to reach of these youth.

Compassionate and dedicated professional with experience in victim advocacy and quality control. Skilled in attention to detail and team collaboration, successfully resolving quality issues and enhancing safety protocols to support organizational goals.

• Collaborated with team of 25 in the development of Youth Adult Awareness Program (YAAP)
• Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
• Trained Inmates to draw from personal experiences to empathize with each individual at-risk youth and their personal circumstance.
• Specialized in Gang Affiliation, Drug and Alcohol abuse, Domestic Violence, Alternatitive solutions to violence, and effective communication.