Bay News 9 Report on Teen in Jail

In addition to the Pinellas County Jail, Ted also spent part of the last two years in four Florida prisons, a prison work release camp, and a prison work release center. Ted did not have a pc in jail or prison. He wrote his experiences in letters to a blogger, who posted them online for him.

Young man blogs from jail and hopes to help others

View video here.

By Robert Hahn, Reporter
Last Updated: Saturday, August 14, 2010

CLEARWATER --
A local teenager used a pen and paper to get through his two-year jail sentence.

Ted Braden, 21, first entered jail at 19 for theft and drug related charges. He joined a gang and was arrested for the first time at age 13 and kept getting into trouble, including five more arrests in 2008 alone.

While in jail, Braden spent a lot of time alone in his cell where he began to write down his thoughts, eventually creating a blog called Teen in Jail.

And although now he hopes his hundreds of blog posts will help others learn from his mistakes, he didn't originally set out to write a blog.

"I started to write to get things off my mind," said Braden. "Didn't start it for a blog, didn't think of nothing like that."

The idea came after a visit from his mother. Kelly Shannon Kelly thought that people might be interested in what he had to say from his point of view.

"We got the idea to put it on the Internet and have other people read it, and it really took off," she said.

As of last count, the blog site, which includes more than 300 of Braden's blogs, has seen more than 74,000 hits. People from all over the world have been looking at his blogs.

"Hopefully other people will read it and learn from my experience," Braden said.

Braden also wrote many stories that he was unable to send out of jail because his mail was being screened. He wants to combine those with the ones that made it onto his blog into a book.

"It's better than what I was doing before," Braden said. "Just hurting people's lives, destroying lives, destroying my own life, my family's life, just time to do something different, that I can actually help somebody."

Braden's mom is hopeful that her son has turned a corner and his writing will help build his future.

"I'd just like to see him do the best he can in life and be a success," said Kelly. "It's what every parent wants for their child."

Braden is looking into going to college to pursue a degree in journalism. He also plans on taking a trip after being locked up for the past two years.

Comments

TED
2010-08-15 22:17:00 Report this post jonesy wrote:
Kay, I agree with you. I'm sick of hearing about shootings,murders etc from young people.I hope he can turn his life around and do something GOOD.

teen in jail
2010-08-15 21:12:00 Report this post hal wrote:
He hasn't changed, just learning to play the game in prison....saying and doing everything the parole board wants to see and hear, that's all! Don't be fooled!

Blogging from a jail cell
2010-08-15 18:20:00 Report this post Terri wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the young adult has had time to think about his life and change things (while in prison), but I can't believe he has such freedom as to use the internet...Am I Naive or has this been happening for a while? I know criminals/prison inmates can get a college degree in there (FREE OF COURSE MY DIME)AND THAT STINKS TOO! Just rubs ya wrongthey should be getting punishment not

Who Cares
2010-08-15 17:16:00 Report this post Sandy Ginas wrote:
You all are suckers! This criminal has nothing better to do so he's playing everyone for suckers. Wait until he has choices on how to spend his time, he'll be back to his old ways in no time. People like him have mental problems, they don't fully comprehend the difference between right and wrong. He'll be back in jail, I guarantee it.

is it true?
2010-08-15 15:14:00 Report this post cool guy wrote:
once you go black you never go back! same difference once he gets out he will be right back in hahahahahaha

I support Ted
2010-08-15 14:45:00 Report this post Kay wrote:
I'm glad Ted decided to go down a better road and do a service to others by warning them about the mistakes he made. If his blog helps just one person turn his or her life around before it's too late, then he has saved a life. Don't we want our young people to grow up, mature, and do something positive and real with their lives to help others/society? He deserves our support completely. Nice go

IN JAIL
2010-08-15 14:31:00 Report this post whitster wrote:
I don't think writing a blog addresses the problem. A year or so of counciling and a job training program would be the best avenue for rehabilation. Money won't solve anything besides the type of person you are is more important. Good luck young man.

Felon blogs
2010-08-15 14:00:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
I think if this guy can make some good behind bars of his poor choices in life then power to him! I have had family members in jail and i know how hard it can be.However, he will have to make "big boy" decisions one day and really grow up.The rest of us have to comply to society's rules and so should he. Hopefully this experience will truly change him for the better.

yong man blog for JEFF the IDIOT
2010-08-15 13:45:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
you no what JEFF you just need to SHUT UP AND GROW UP THAN OK leave well enough alone than ok thank you very much so and if they all do make it happen than you will look like a stupid idoit than and thank you very much so later

I am Gald..
2010-08-15 13:20:00 Report this post Josvani H wrote:
Braden As long as you are doing something good in your life

Nevermind
2010-08-15 13:14:00 Report this post Debbie wrote:
disregard my last post. Ted is a colplete moron. You should not have a pc in jail. Send him to the chair!

young man
2010-08-15 13:12:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
yes me nephew is also behind bars because he did about the same thing you did and he also vilade his proban also and now he has to spened 5 years behind bars and he was 19years when he went in so he will get out in 2012 i think that is when he will get out and he already got his GED and now he is learning more stuff also and i hope that it will help him also and make him a better person when he get

Ted Keep Up the good work
2010-08-15 13:02:00 Report this post Debbie wrote:
Ted worked for me or with me and I could see he was a good kid. He just made a few bad choices..I hope you keep up this up. He reminded me of My Son,who as a late teenage made some bad choices & trusted the wrong people and paid the price 5 yrs in jail for drugs. He got out got a good job But still had a hard time not letting his big heart for people rule his head and Lost His Life just over a year

Try As He Might
2010-08-15 12:11:00 Report this post Angela wrote:
Try as you might someone will always complain. He's trying and his efforts should be rewarded. Good for him to find a positive outlet.

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:11:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
but people have plenty of time to think while they are sitting in jail, and as a former Corrections Officer, I can tell you that it is NO PICNIC for anyone, the Officers or inmates alike. When your spending 10-15hrs a day in a cell, your mind wonders and you think about what your missing on the outside. SHUT UP and GROW UP!

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:09:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
The first in line with both of your hands out, not just one! You are cowards who sit behind a computer screen and spout words of hate and other things you have NO CLUE about. I dont know Ted, but not ALL people who spend a short time in jail are career criminals. Granted, Ted has spent his share of jail time, (cont)

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:07:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
It doesnt matter if a teen dies in a car accident or someone spends a day picking up trash on the side of the road, some of you ALWAYS have something negative to say! Is your life that BAD, that you always feel the need to bring others down around you? I GUARANTEE 1000%, that if you needed a handout, you would be (cont)

NO MATTER WHAT
2010-08-15 11:29:00 Report this post REAL TALK wrote:
good or bad u people complain shut up already GO TED GO

Teen Blog
2010-08-15 10:55:00 Report this post Joyce wrote:
Pay attention he is TRYING to learn from his mistakes and show others what he did wrong to HELP them to NOT do the same. Just keep throwing the rocks and I hope your GLASS house gets shattered!

Teen Blog
2010-08-15 10:52:00 Report this post Joyce wrote:
I am wondering if Yeah ok and Avenger are total cowards and morons. I've read this blog and I support what this kid is trying to do. It's idiots like you that knock kids down...

Story
2010-08-15 10:27:00 Report this post JAMES wrote:
Unlike the others, I support what he's doing. This is exactly what I want to see... someone who used to be bad, trying to become good. But how do people comment? "He'll be back in there in no time". Nice. If you've truly gone straight, don't listen to these haters.

He Wants To Take A Trip After Being Locked Up For 2 Years?
2010-08-15 10:13:00 Report this post The Avenger wrote:
Maybe he could go with obama on his next vacation.

Journalism & Jail
2010-08-15 10:10:00 Report this post The Avenger wrote:
They go together well, don't they?

Felon bloggers
2010-08-15 08:17:00 Report this post Yeah ok wrote:
He'll be back in there in no time.

Legal problems
2010-08-14 23:36:00 Report this post Limbo wrote:
unfortunatly, this state will not allow you to profit from any felony. Maybe this kids mother or one of his family members could be the author of the book. Just another hoop to jump through.Unless of coarse he runs into some money to grease the judicial system.

ABC Action News Report about Teen in Jail

In addition to the Pinellas County Jail, Ted also spent part of the last two years in four Florida prisons, a prison work release camp, and a prison work release center.

Teen blogs about his time in jail

By: Jeff Butera
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Ted Braden has a story to tell. It's a story he wants to tell.

His story begins when Ted was 13 years old. It was the first time he was arrested, busted by Clearwater Police for breaking into another house.

The story continued through Ted's teenage years. Those years included drugs and gangs. They ended with Ted being arrested for trafficking MDMA. He was sentennced to two years behind bars.

Ted can tell you the rest of the story. He can tell it because he's already written. While behind bars, Ted blogged about his experience.

His blog, ' Teen in Jail ,' found at www.teeninjail.com , has earned more than 75,000 visitors.

In his blog -- which his mother, Kelly, suggested he write -- Ted talks about how the horror of living behind bars. He calls it "Hell on Earth."

More so, though, he focuses his writing on the slow realization that his bad decisions during his teenage years led him to this horrible place.

He writes about his regret of joining a gang. He talks about the pain of seeing his family watch him go to prison. He tries to understand why he did what he did, and resigns himself to the fact that all he can say is he did what he did "because he could."

But perhaps the most powerful blog post comes when Ted thinks about life outside of jail, with a felony conviction attached to his name.

“Is my life over before it starts? Am I still a U.S. citizen? Where will I work? How can I ever get married and support a family? These are the things I think about every day. There’s plenty of time to think about them,” he writes.

Ted was released from jail earlier this month. He is now working and does not associate with the friends that influenced him into a life of crime.

He has vowed to never go back to jail, and hopes that his blog helps other teenagers do that as well.

Click on video below to see the report.

Magazine model

I'm still waiting on new blog entries from Ted...

In 2002, I began freelancing for various magazines as a writer and photographer. Ted had the good fortune (or not – according to him) to be my model and appeared in several magazines, including several by Visit Florida, Florida Fish and Game, and other outdoor and travel publications.

Next: Ted’s published photography

Teen in Jail on ABC News Now

Teen in Jail ran on ABC News Now, the network's 24-hour cable channel, today. There's a good chance it will also run on World News Now, the early morning news on ABC (runs 2 a.m. - 4 a.m. in most markets).

The link online can be found at:
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9618674

The clip also was aired on ABC World News a few days later.

Teen in Jail appears on cover of new tb-two newpaper

Talked to my mom and dad on a 3-way call tonight. (Someone in jail let me use their phone card.)

On Thursday, September 10, there was an article about my blog in a new St. Pete Times teen newspaper [called tb-two] that goes to 75,000 high school students in Tampa Bay. A picture of me was on the cover too. I haven't seen the article yet, but I hope it helps some kids keep away from drugs and out of jail.

This article was a totally separate article from the one that appeared in the regular Sunday St. Pete Times paper on September 6.

I told my parents that I heard rumors in jail that they were changing the laws so that only 65% of a sentence could be served, instead of 85%.

I asked my friend Brittni to visit me at the jail on Tuesday. Brittni has been writing me tons of letters and it helps so much that she is there for me. (My girlfriend Kahli is long gone. I've heard that she now refers to me as "my ex-boyfriend in jail".)

My mom reads me the emails that I get at teeninjail@yahoo.com. I got a lot of emails after that article came out in tb-two. Other kids want to write to me in prison too, and I'd really like that. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that people are thinking about me and praying for me. I can get letters at the reception center when I know my DC #. My mom will post the address and the DC # once she knows it.

I also asked my mom and dad to visit me on Wednesday. It might take about a week for me to be sent to the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando. Hopefully I'll get to see my family before I'm sent to the reception center and I'm not sent there right away after court.

I have court again tomorrow morning. I want to ask the judge if I will get time served taken off the 24 months sentence. Hopefully I will. Then I would only serve 13 months in prison. I could also get 94 additional days taken off my sentence for good behavior.

Someone sent my mom a really good web site called Prison Talk. It has forums where people post all kinds of information on all of the prisons.

Stay tuned for what happens in court tomorrow...

Blogger's note: Found out online (after the phone call to Ted) that there is a bill in Congress called "hr 1475", but it hasn't passed yet. This is the bill that supports reducing time served in a sentence to 65%. The main supporter of the bill, Representative Charles Rangel, is being investigated for false or non-reporting of income - up to half a million dollars in unreported income. So he'll be busy defending himself and will want to distance himself from criminal justice reform.

Teen in Jail appears in Florida's Sun Sentinel

Mom helps son blog - from jail

Next thing you know, he'll be tweeting. But for now, he's just blogging. A sample:

"If I haven't said it already, jail sucks," Kelly Shannon Kelly read from a letter written by her 20-year-old son Theodore Braden, an inmate in the Pinellas County jail.

The little boy she had such high hopes for now sits in the Pinellas County Jail facing charges for trafficking MDMA (Ecstasy), reports

10 Connects.

Braden has been in and out of trouble since the age of 13. While his mother tried to explain to him things would be different after he became an adult at 18, he didn't learn.

As a kid, his jail stints were a couple of days.

His stay this time around has exceeded one year. And he turned 20 in jail.

His blog Teen in Jail was born.

He gets a helping hand from his mom.

Since Braden doesn't have access to the internet in jail, he writes letters to her which she then posts on his blog. If he can't get a letter, his mother takes notes during her weekly visits.

"They only see sun for two hours a day," she read from a well worn notebook.

Braden and his mother say they'll keep on blogging, even after he's served his debt to society.

For now, he says he's ready to pay the final consequences for the decisions he's made. But once he's served his time, he says he'll never be back.

"I know people have probably heard this a hundred times,'' he says. "But if you can't do the time, don't do the crime."

Sun Sentinel article link: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/strange/sfl-floriduh-jail-073009,0,3751808.storylink

Teen in Jail airs on Tampa Bay news channel

Yesterday, Tampa Bay's 10Connects aired a story on my blog. You can see the video here in the blue box in the upper right-hand corner: http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110506&catid=8. (Give the video box a minute to load and appear.)

The article that accompanied the video was written by Laura Katcheka, a reporter:

Pinellas Inmate Blogs from Jail

Pinellas County, Florida - "If I haven't said it already, jail sucks," Kelly Shannon Kelly read from a letter written by her 20-year-old son Theodore Braden.

The little boy she had such high hopes for now sits in the Pinellas County Jail facing charges for trafficking MDMA (Ecstasy).

"It's been hard," said Kelly, "He's had the opportunity to travel all over the United States, he's a good writer, a good photographer and he has had the opportunity to make a profession out of that. It's been hard seeing him make those mistakes."

Life behind bars was a consequence Braden admits he never thought about seriously. In and out of trouble since the age of 13, he says the consequences were never more than he could handle.

"When I was a juvenile, it was 21 days here, 21 days there, maybe a couple of month program. It wasn't a big deal," he told 10 Connects reporter Laura Kadechka through video phone at the Pinellas County Jail.

While his mother tried to explain to him things would be different after he became an adult at 18, the lessons were not learned.

"Before I came in here this time, I've been here probably five times just in the last year," said Braden.

He says he only spent a few days at a time in jail, but last year, the consequences changed. He says he was busted during a drug deal. The few days in jail he was used to were long gone.

"In my case, for a few hundred dollars, I might be giving up the next few years of my life," he said.

His stay this time around has exceeded one year.

"Easy money is no way to make money. I'd rather work a minimum wage job for the rest of my life than do what I was doing," he said.

He's had a lot of time to reflect on the decisions he's made and through conversations with his mother, they decided to make his story public.

The blog "Teen in Jail" was born.

"We immediately thought that this is a good outlet to get his message across to other people, not only to teens, but to adults as well," said Kelly.

Since Braden doesn't have access to the internet in jail, he writes letters to his mother which she then posts on the blog. If he can't get a letter, Kelly will take notes during her weekly visits with her son.

"They only see sun for two hours a day," she read from a well worn notebook.
Braden says he's made poor choices in life and if his past can change someone else's future, he feels like he can make a difference.

"I never really looked at it that way before. I just looked at it as I've got a bad history, I'll never get a job, I'm going to be a criminal forever. I now see I can do some good," said Braden.

The 20-year-old looks young for his age, but a scar from taking a lead pipe and beer bottle to the face shows a violent past.

His blog entry on this experience reads:

I didn't feel anything and it wasn't until the next morning that I woke up and felt incredible pain. My front tooth was broken. The nerves in my other front tooth ended up dying and turned dark. I also had a deep cut above my eyebrow.

I didn't have a job or insurance and couldn't get my teeth fixed, and to this day I have the broken tooth and scar.I barely remember the fight and other people had to tell me what had happened.

Drugs, unfortunately, have this effect and most of the times I've been arrested or injured, I had been taking drugs.

Braden and his mother both say things could have been different.

"I think I might have been too permissive, let him go out and not monitor his friends the way I should have," admitted Kelly.

Her son says it might not have mattered what his mother said, her actions could have spoken louder than words.

"When they're young and start doing the little things, make sure that you punish them. Don't go easy on them," said Braden.

While it's too late to for the should have's and could have's, Braden and his mother are hoping other parents and teens pay attention to their story.

Braden says he's a changed man now. While he realizes his future is going to be very different had he made better choices, he's not giving up hope he can still make a good life for himself.

But his immediate future is unknown.

One blog entry reads:

I had to go to court again yesterday. It was the fifth or sixth time I've been to court for my current charges and they keep postponing my hearings.

I have to explain the point system. Most felonies are equal to [an average of] 16 to 22 points each. A first-degree felony equals 56 points. Forty-four points will get you sent to prison.

My charges include drug trafficking and possession of cocaine and marijuana. I was the middleman in a drug deal. The drug dealer and the person who set up the deal are both out on probation.

I currently have 60-something points for all my charges - enough to send me to prison for 40.6 months.

I'm scared.

Braden and his mother say they'll keep on blogging, even after he's served his debt to society.

For now, he says he's ready to pay the final consequences for the decisions he's made. But once he's served his time, he says he'll never be back.

Braden said, "I know people have probably heard this a hundred times, but if you can't do the time, don't do the crime."

Comments

Reform1 wrote:
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flagdude wrote:
Young Theodore worked for me a few years ago. He was a real nice kid that has just made a few bad choices in life. It sounds like he will be alright if someone just gives him half a chance. I hope to be in a position to hire him again one day soon and will not hesitate to do so if given the chance. God bless you Ted. Camp Director Ray

7/30/2009 1:49 PM EDT on wtsp.com

Stillsad1 wrote:
I really respect this kid & his mom. He admits he was wrong and takes responsibility for his actions. I truly hope he can turn his life around when he gets out. I don't feel bad that he is there, he deserves to be, but I hope he has learned his lesson.As far as the complaints of only seeing the sun for 2 hours, the food being bad, the phones being too expensive to use, well I think it should be that way, this is a punishment not a resort.I think they should only be fed the basics of bread, water and some sort of gruel...I know it sounds harsh but again this should be a punishment and a place they DO NOT WANT TO COME BACK TO!I don't think jail is a scarey place anymore and it is no longer serving as a deterrent for people. I think jail should hold inmates responsible for their stay. Instead of companies outsourcing customer service/data entry jobs to other countries, they could have the inmates work to pay for their stay in jail, it would be a bargain rate for the company and the tax payers would no longer have to foot the bill for criminals. If the inmates refuse to work or screw up deliberately then they do not eat, they get no bed to sleep on and they don't go outside at all, they never leave their cell. There are alot of hardworking people who do the right thing and they still go to bed at night hungry so why should it be any different for criminals? This way when the inmates get released they have a job skill, if they do well while working during incarceration the company can choose to keep them as an employee so they do not have to worry about not being hired because they have a record, it gives them responsibility and a head start at a second chance and our tax dollars can be better spent elsewhere, plus we are keeping jobs in our country! I think this would be a win win for everyone. I pray this kid does well when he gets out and that he has finally learned his lesson! Good Luck & God Bless!!!
7/30/2009 12:06 AM EDT on wtsp.com

scoopspoop wrote:
would be wonderful if others start doing this also...what a great way to 'go over' your life and teach others!
7/29/2009 6:22 PM EDT on wtsp.com

momlb wrote:
Some kids have to learn the hard way.Good luck
7/29/2009 5:58 PM EDT on wtsp.com

StPeteRickster wrote:
Very interesting blog....I see the still have the phone that charges $10+ for a collect call for the inmates, no regular pay phone, so calling friends or relatives is nearly impossible and most expensive with NO alternatives. Sweetheart deal given to CCA, I would guess.The prices for 'extras' in the commissary are excessive, as well.Please don't tell me that we are trying to turn our jails into a profit making entity, as well....From what I have read about Corrections Corporation of America, CCA - they and their 'McPrisons' should be put out of business. Not sure if this is CCA running this jail but it sure sounds like it.Just a thought to finish, if the inmates are supposed to learn respect and decency for other members of the community (rehabilitation), why do the guards treat them in a way that will make them do the opposite??Is like beating a dog, even the best breed will go vicious, if provoked enough times.The blog is eye-opening, for me and I think the writer, as well.I hope he continues to write, I think it does him well.Keep your head low, stay out of trouble and Good Luck to you, I hope you get out soon.
7/29/2009 5:06 PM EDT on wtsp.com

StPeteRickster wrote:
Now this was a story worth reading, very powerful and with a human touch.I hope this young man can overcome his past and be a contributing member of society, someday soon.Am going to read the blog, now.
7/29/2009 4:52 PM EDT on wtsp.com