Customer Reviews

How to Be a Successful Criminal: The Real Deal on Crime, Drugs and Easy Money

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was a friend of Ron and Linda (his future wife) back in his high school and gang days, but I never knew just how bad Ron had it at home. It was really sad to read about how it was for him and his brothers, but it helped me to really understand how kids living in that kind of environment struggle to make it in the world. Amazing, too, that Ron could not only have survived the drug-dealing & drug-addicted life, but emerge to help others find a way out of that life. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to find their way out. And anyone else who just wants to read an interesting and gripping story. And, I commend and congragulate Ron for all he's managed to accomplish.

Ron came to my school and we had a discustion with about 30 kids after the presentation and half of us started crying after we told him how our lives were. Every presentation he picks a couple of kids that he feels inspired him. I think it was great to have someone to talk to that comes from the same thing that is happening to many of us kids in America. Drugs and gangs are very tough to coop with these days. Ron is a great writer and speaker.

I don't understand all the fawning over this book and author. I found the book pointless and frankly after reading the other one star review I finally put this into perspective. This book is the author's attempt to be cool and make other adults look bad. I agree don't waste your money or your time.

I entered into this conversation just to make a comment and to have a voice. Sadly, I see that this book also promotes a good deal of anger from its supporters. The right fighting and the sarcasm along with the need to silence others voices is just plain wrong. I hope the author doesn't sanction this kind of behavior.

Ron Glodoski's book is filled with useless glorifications of his criminal behavior disguised as a wish to help. Glodoski begins his book with a warning to the adults:

"I guarantee that you will find something in these pages which will insult your morality, and challenge your sense of what is proper. Just know that my writing style is not meant to sensationalize or shock--it is meant to maximize communication with kids. Please don't close your mind before your heart has an opportunity to experience the true message." pg. xvii

This is meant to keep you from being critical. He warned you fair and square that you might not be comfortable. After all he is just trying to communicate with the kids and you just don't get it.

He employs a technique in his writing that takes the "g" of the "ing" he claims he is talking to the kids in their language...really what he is doin' is tryin' to fake rapport. Rapport happens over time and through relationships. This attempt at relating to the kids is being disrespectful. Kids want to be treated like they are smart and capable. If a kid is willing to pick up a book and read it they don't need to have this gimmicky form of language to keep them interested if the book has substance.

"I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or professional educator...by the time I was 15, I had a felony record consisting of armed robbery, strong-armed robbery, assault and battery, and car theft." pg. xviii

He lets us know up front that he doesn't have any expertise yet his followers idolize him. They act as though he has cornered the market on helping kids. One follower states "Ron is an accepted figure in substance abuse/at risk education". He has been invited to speak to many groups, but I have found no evidence that his work is considered acceptable practice.

I would be willing to hear more about his story if he didn't out right take jabs at the helping profession. He is trying to appear cool to the kids...Again his followers claim that he is joining with the kids in their distrust. I guess this is fine if you then countered those beliefs rather than validate them. Just a couple of examples:

"When the cops saw that their case against Rickie was going down the drain, they decided to manipulate the evidence by adding a bag of seeds to the two ounces of pot they had found..." pg 14

"There's only one thing worse than a stupid friend--a lyin', cheatin', rattin' friend." Pg 16

"I hadn't been takin' very long when I noticed that his attitude had changed. Instead of listenin' to me, he began to smirk and making condescending remarks to me...Here I was pourin' my guts out to this sucker, and he didn't believe a work I was tellin' him.

Without takin' my eyes off him, I quietly pulls my 9-millemeter out of it's holster, shoved it into his mouth, and asked, "do you believe this, punk?" Pg 188 (this was an incident allegedly with a therapist)

These are just a couple of examples of him letting the kids know that the cops, teachers and other helpers were stupid. He tells several stories about criminal behavior and instead of being humble and contrite he points out how it was the cops fault that he got in trouble...not the fact that he was actually breaking the law.

Glodoski's book is filled with accounts of how much smarter he was/is than the average criminal and then points out that his audience is the average criminal.

What he ends up telling the kids is that it doesn't matter if you broke the law or acted criminally what matters is being caught. Cops will lie and manipulate evidence to send you to prison. Court appointed lawyers are stupid and useless. Pay for your attorney but remember that they aren't that smart. Never work with the authorities to get criminals off the street that makes you at rat.

He never speaks to making amends for the pain you caused. He never discusses restorative justice. He never tells the kids that although they made a mistake under terrible circumstances you must still hold yourself accountable. The first step to making it right should be admitting what you did and facing the full consequence of what that might mean.

The most disturbing story is the one of him pulling a gun on his therapist. He goes on to say that the therapist never reported him and came around to his way of thinking. This story is doubtful to me but if there is one shred of truth to it I don't think it would be an appropriate story to relay to kids.

He has a chapter where he shows the kids how their criminal behavior can be translated into the real world. If you are a dope dealer you can be a business owner, if you are a car thief you can be a car mechanic, burglary will get you into the locksmith trade....I don't know how the burglar would get bonded but that's not the point.

My work with children has provided me with insight into the different types of people who go into fields that serve them. There are the people who engage with the kids in the "it's us against them." The "us" is the staff person and the child against everyone else. They will take a couple of different approaches. One is to bend the rules whenever it is inconvenient to follow them. They will state things like "I don't know why they have that rule anyhow." Or "I know the real deal about what's going on with you." These staff people will sneak treats or other perks to the students. One staffer that I knew, Ms.K, would give kids candy bars when she was responsible for transporting them to appointments. This was compounded with the fact that she was also using it as a bribe to keep the kid from reporting her for smoking in the state vehicle.

These staff members will also share information about themselves inappropriately. They will tell stories about their using drugs, about terrific criminal behavior all in the attempt to let the kids know that they are part of the cool crowd. They mistake the glamorization of their behavior for building rapport. They use language that mimics the kids, wear clothes that they think will make them look cool. These people are even more detrimental to the success of the kids than the authority figure. They undermine what other staff people are doing. They join with the kids to stand against the perceived evil being done to them by those in positions of authority like law enforcement, teachers, and other caring adults who make the decision to hold the kids accountable. They include in the war stories accounts of how stupid the cop, the lawyer and the teacher are, and then generalize that to all cops, lawyers and teachers. They air the problems they are having with coworkers or in their family and treat the kid as an equal. The sad truth about this is that while they are doing these things and thinking the kids are really getting something from them the kids are making fun of them behind their back, or using them to get their needs met.

As I read the book by Ron Glodoski, I saw that he fits into this style of people and so do his followers. They think that by faking rapport with the abrupt `ing and telling the kids about the time they pulled a gun on their therapist or how stupid their lawyer was or how the cops were setting up his brother that this will somehow magically connect with the kids. They think that because they see a reaction from the kid in the few moments they spend with them that there is a sudden transformation. They do not understand that the only way to help children is to build a consistent relationship with them. There is no magic program and certainly no magic person.

What kids need are adults who are there every day and who hold the kid up to a higher standard. Kids want consistency and rules. They need people who will call the police when they have broken the law and who will stand beside them while they face the consequences of their behavior. They need adults who will provide pro social alternatives for them to build their skills. They need adults who are affirming, authentic, and available. Kids want to know they can trust you to tell them the truth without talking down to them.

Just look at the comments for the review by Bill, condescension, arrogance, and a lack of abiity to engage without anger and sarcasm. This is not only the absolute opposite of how to handle kids it is detrimental to their wellbeing. Like Glodoski he tries at the very end to spin it as an attempt to teach people a lesson. It didn't matter what I said it was always met with nastiness. Bill completely misses the points of my concern about this book. His quotes while directly from the book are often taken out of context. I deleted my comments to disengage from his continual attempts to draw me into a nasty back and forth that had long stopped being about the book and had become about his ego. If this is what the book promotes then not only should you not waste your time you should warn others as well. I am.

For a program our school called "Aware Day", Ron came to speak and I was introducing him to the kids before he spoke and just to look in the the crowd at the kids and hear the kids talk to him after it was over really was amazing. In just an hour and a half he turned a lot of kids around and really made them feel good about themselves and think twice about the descions they were making. Everyone really should read this book in a gang or on drugs or not.

How i got the book was quite interesting. I was working at Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago WI and the author came in. He asked what i was up to and told him how i was doing. i asked him what he was up to and he told me "writing and traveling alot" i said "you write books" "yea i'm an author didn't you know that?" i said "no...whats the name of one of your books" he told me "how to be a successful criminal" he went on to explain what it was about. i told him "yea i have a friend who really needs something like your book. He's not on a good path at all" He told me the next time he came into the store he would bring the book for me and give me a small discount. i said great. 5 mins later he came back into the store with the book. i bought it and said i'll give it to my friend. he told me to read it before i gave it to my friend. i said i would (thinking even tho the book has nothing to do with me...I'm not into a bad scene..i'll give it a try) It turns out this book is probably one of the best i have EVER EVER read! I promise you its soooo addicting. The author tells stories about his life its like you can picture it while its happening to him.And for my friend who does need the book i was amazed when the book even has quotes that my friend told me its like every page is what is going on inside my friends head and how he going thru some of the same stuff.EVERYone should really read the book i am utterly impressed with it and is WAY worth its money. i think i'll have to buy another copy for my friend so that i can keep my own! :) Please at least give it a chance you will not regret it at all!! Even if you yourself are not into drugs or crimes or anything related i promise you that this book will grab your interest the second you read the first sentence you dont have to know anyone who is either, to read the book, its just something that you need to read and see for yourself!

I read through some of this book recently and was sorely disappointed. Nowhere in it did I find out how to pick locks, case a house, or anything at all useful to one's criminal endeavors. Thumbs down.

Ron is the best keynote speaker I have ever seen in schools. He is dynamic, honest, and heartfelt. He deeply cares for the kids he speaks to, and they know it from the first minute on. Students and staff will be drawn in by his passionate and compelling story, and they will leave with many lasting strategies that will increase chances of survival in a challenging, often times cruel world. This book is a fast, unique read unlike anything you've ever read before. Take a look and pass it on to the next teenager you see.

I think this book is very interesting. Ron came to my school and talked with us about a year ago. All of the kids still talk about him and his life until this day. It is amazing. I would suggest this book to many people who are interested in this sort of subject. He lived through alot and if you think you have it bad at home....Then WAKE UP and read this book about how he lived his life.

Hi, My name is John and I attend a highschool for kids who are/were bad, pregnant, or just cant learn like everyone else. Today(2/17), my school had an assembly that was featuring Ron Glodoski. I went in and sat down thinking "Man, today sucks." and came out almost in tears because I know alot of what this man has been through. I have been on drugs and I have stopped. I know the pressure. This man can put into words what every A.D.D. kid is thinking. He can tell you how to be happy in the end. If you want to die happy then you should read this book. If you just want to die, then do the things he did when he was a teen.