The Lost Boyz – A dark side of graffiti

Reviewed by Billy Little – HMP Bullingdon


A must-read book.

There are no two ways about it; this is simply 100% raw talent being unleashed right from the start. Justin Rollins takes you on a journey through the reality of life for Britain’s youth culture. At points throughout this book Justin gives the reader a clear and concise description of his emotional states, they also come with a social background that would keep the tabloids busy for years with headlines.

How many times have you seen a bit of graffiti somewhere obscure, somewhere that seems virtually inaccessible to all but the most daring? This is what the ‘taggers’ strive to create, and the price of getting noticed amongst his peers and the other London gangs often meant that Justin had to risk his life to write his ‘tag’ or ‘bomb’ in these places. Such activities do not go unnoticed for long and soon the tagging gangs became a major problem for British Transport Police, in terms of identification and location. With this came the battle of wits, cat and mouse, capture and evasion; with the usual expected series of consequences for all involved. Think the ‘Railway Children’ on alcohol and any number and combination of drugs, hardly the literary intention posed by Edith Nesbit, but certainly a realistic appraisal of contemporary youth subculture.

The book never stops in terms of its pace. There is no middle ground, no room to take a breath. Justin Rollins has managed to use his own experience of life, his trauma, fears and humour to totally engage the reader. The honesty he displays with regards to his own faults and failings in life are admirable and a very endearing quality for a writer. There is clarity in the knowledge of who he was and who he is now. From being led into a world of satanic influence and ritual that left him suffering from depression and self-harming on a regular basis, to a man with principled virtues.

There is wisdom, humility, temperance, ambition, courage, devotion and humour in the story of Justin Rollins’ journey. There is also a great deal of loss, remorse and regret. This story is pure and simple, and true. Justin sacrificed many things in his life and endured the pain that came with it.

This book is a must-read for half the prison population, academics and politicians. It delivers a concise insight into a life that almost never was. In Justin’s own words ‘From a lost boy to a found man’. From the urban youth mentality to maturity; a truly remarkable story.