This publication, though produced by the Broad Street Studio , exists within a special relationship with the Rhode Island Training School (R.I.T.S.), the state’s juvenile detention facility. Both Hidden T.R.E.W.T.H. and the R.I.T.S. work to maintain a balance between AS220 Broad Street Studio’s beliefs and commitment to “presenting the voices of young people— as diverse as they come— in their truest form” and the R.I.T.S.’s institutional regulations and concerns.

The manifestation of this compromise, which allows the words of R.I.T.S. residents to be read in this publication approximately every 2 months, is a review board, made up of R.I.T.S. residents, R.I.T.S. staff and AS220 B.S.S. staff members. This group convenes to read every piece of writing submitted to Hidden T.R.E.W.T.H. as it was written, and make decisions on what should be published based on these guidelines, which were recommended by R.I.T.S. administration: no self-incrimination, no denegration of any group of people by race, sex, etc., no glorification of violence or drug use and “bad” language only when required by the context of the piece. Minimal changes have been made, but some of the writing you will read does not appear in its original or complete form, and some submitted pieces may not appear at all. We work in a collective and open environment — if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about this process, please contact us by emailing: hiddentrewth@as220.org or call the AS220 Broad Street Studio: 401.467.0701.