A verbally gifted kid, Elias grew up in an awful home and was quickly absorbed into gang life. His moving poems are printed throughout the book. Elias ultimately receives harsh treatment by the juvenile justice system and he ends up in the CYA. Sister Janet advocates for him as hard as she can but when a fight breaks out in the CYA and he is identified as a culprit, he is shipped off to an adult penitentiary for good. Elias is one Humes thinks the system failed.