'You’re either going to prison or you're going to die:' Guilford County Detention Center inmate has message for juveniles
An inmate at the Guilford County Detention Center is sharing his story with WXII12 News, in hopes of deterring kids and teens from getting caught up in crime.
Quincey Hill, an inmate at the Guilford County Detention Center contacted our news team, wanting to get a message out to kids and teens in Guilford County.
“I traveled down the wrong path myself and I know what they doing out there, you know, and I just want to give them a warning," Hill said.
Quincey has been incarcerated for 14 years and in that time he said he’s seen an increase in juveniles in jail.
“It's unbelievable. I've never seen nothing like this," Hill said.
According to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, the number of juveniles being offenders in crime was 264 in 2021. In 2022, that number jumped to 316, and already in 2023, that number is 61. The number of juveniles being the victims of crime was 199 in 2021, 241 in 2022 and 39 so far in 2023.
Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers said, “I think a lot of juveniles are getting out here getting involved in gang activities, not wanting to go to school, because they feel like when they go hang out with their buddies or the gang, you know, they doing the coolest thing they could do.”
Hill's message to youths involved in a bad crowd is, "if you know somebody's doing something wrong, get away from it. If you know you're doing something wrong, stop doing it cause you’re either going to prison, or you're going to die.”
Hill said he’s hoping his message helps someone else turn their life around.
“I wish I would've listened. I wish I would have listened to the older guys back then that was telling me about what I was doing, but I was so caught up and running around and feeling like what I was doing was right. I felt like the wrong, I was doing was right, because the environment and where I come from. I felt like it was my culture," Hill said.
Hill and Sheriff Rogers both are encouraging kids and teens to find someone they trust and talk to them.
"Trust someone that's an adult mentor, or someone close to age or older, that you can talk with and confide in. If they're real and transparent about themselves, they would tell you their life stories too," Rogers said.
Rogers said there are programs like the youth academy to help juveniles get back on the right path. A list of programs in Guilford County can be found below.