James W. Odom is the Director and Founder of Alternative Behavior. He brings to the table over a decade of experience and knowledge working with some of Houston's most active gang members across the city. When asked about why he chose to work with such a dangerous population, you'll find that he wasn't always the model citizen.

James began hanging around a local gang in the neighborhood at 11 years old. Growing up in a family that wasn't aware of the warning signs, he claims it was an easy task to transition into the lifestyle. James remembers little resistance from his family which led to his decision to join the gang in 6th grade.

Commenting on his interaction with gang members twice his age, James claims they took good care of him. He explains they offered him the one thing that kids don't find in their homes, self-validation. He goes on to say they made him feel important, they took care of him, they fed him, they encouraged him, and they gave him praise when he needed it.

By James' 8th grade school year, he managed to entrench himself deep into the lifestyle. Going to school was no longer about learning, it was only to create conflict and represent the gang and their colors. James said, “it was over that summer that I made the front page of the Pasadena Citizen”. He didn't make the newspaper for being an honor roll student; he made it for being involved in a fight that took place after school. “I remember thinking, I'm going to be in big trouble when my parents see this but they never said anything, not even once”!

James went on to attend high school where he was repeatedly suspended, expelled, and finally sent to an alternative center for fighting and gang activity. He repeated the 9th grade three years in a row managing to become a target for administrators when conflict arose on the campus. Following a series of drive-by shootings that took place at his residence, James' house was featured on the news after a local reporter heard about the incidents and decided to do a story on gang violence.

“I remember my mother taking our mattress off the bed frame and making us sleep on the floor to avoid flying bullets, each time there was another drive-by, she would hang a new picture over the hole to cover it up”. James explains he grew tired of the lifestyle and had a desire to be successful but felt trapped. He remembers watching a video in homeroom class about Job Corps and seeing young kids his age building a future for themselves, “I wanted that” claims James.

James contacted Youth Advocates, a non-profit gang intervention program for at-risk youth. With the help of his counselor, he enrolled in the Seaborne Challenge Corps program in an attempt to get his life back on track. Almost a year later, James managed to graduate with his GED and a college scholarship. He then decided to attend San Jacinto College where he proceeded to take his basics and some real estate courses.

Wanting to give back where he had taken, James returned to Youth Advocates where he was employed as a case manager assisting gang involved youth in their struggle to turn away from the lifestyle. After 5 years of employment, he also returned to Seaborne where he was employed as a drill instructor and led his team to 3 drill competition victories. James was later employed by the City of Houston Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office where he remained on staff for almost 8 years. He resigned as a Program Manager and founded Alternative Behavior, a gang education program in Pasadena, TX. 

James has managed to develop valuable skills and experiences in working with gangs and has been considered a professional in the field. James has served as a consultant to a number of school campuses in Harris County and is a certified mediator, alcohol education & tobacco awareness instructor through the Texas Department of State Health Services, Offender Education Program. James also writes a quarterly gang column in FRUIT magazine, a Christian publication for incarcerated youth.    

James has been asked to speak on both the local and national level presenting and training on the topic of gangs for organizations such as the National Youth Gang Center, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Lubbock County District Attorney's Office, Texas Gang Investigators Association, Texas Violent Gang Task Force, Houston Police Department, Harris County Juvenile Probation, Galveston County Juvenile Probation, Galveston County Criminal Defense Bar, United Way, Texas Network of Youth Services, and the National Guard Youth Foundation.

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