Kriti Mehrotra
With HBO Max’s Tara Malone-directed ‘Teen Torture, Inc.’ delving deep into the billion-dollar troubled teen industry (TTI), we get a documentary series that exposes some harsh realities. After all, it incorporates exclusive interviews from those who have experienced the same to really underscore the way “tough love” is used as a treatment here despite countless claims of abuse. Amongst those to share his story in this original is actually James “Jimmy” Griffey, who survived Missouri’s Agapé Boarding School not only as a student but also as a junior staff member.
James Griffey Didn’t Know Any Better When He Went From Student to Staff
Although James hasn’t ever shared much about his early years, we do know he was enrolled at Agapé Boarding School around 1998, unaware his whole world would soon turn upside down. He admittedly wanted nothing more than to be accepted by this institution’s leaders, whom he deemed father figures, so he did his best to comply with every order they put forth, no matter what. Therefore, of course, when they encouraged him to stay as a part of the “family” following his graduation in 2001, he didn’t hesitate to say yes, only to now realize how weird the situation was.
“You go from being a kid with some issues… [to being] in charge of children,” James stated in the aforementioned production. “Like, I’m overseeing other kids, but I’m not able to really help them.” That’s because he claims he himself didn’t know how to handle life back then since all this facility did was cause “emotional damage” by trying to push down any sense of individuality. According to his accounts, there was abuse at every step of the way, and one of their primary techniques was physical compliance through forceful restraint, which is exactly what it sounds like.
James has since even alleged that Agapé liked it when someone refused to follow their system because it allowed them to throw the kids around, tie them up, and beat them until orders were followed. “You get a child to the ground,” he elucidated. “you grab a shoulder and push them, spin them around, bear-hug them, put your knee in the back of their knee, and go down to the ground.” Per the documentary, the kids were then carried to a designed space called the retaining room, where the situation was worse, yet he remained at the school for a while.
James Griffey Has a Strong Professional Career
Although James currently serves as a Salesforce Administrator at Phillips Connect — a position he landed in January 2024 — he actually kickstarted his career in construction way back in 2002. In fact, his first job was as a Warehouse Supervisor plus Apprentice at AK Constructors from 2002 to 2004, following which he evolved into an NDT Inspector at Hixson Metal Finishing for a year. He then worked as a Stereo Installer turned Computer Sales Associate at Best Buy for over two years, and as a Junior Estimator at Canon Coating from 2006 to 2007 before deciding to spread his wings.
James actually studied Audio as well as Audio Technology at the now-defunct SAE Institute Los Angeles in California between 2007 and 2008, after which he truly began building a name for himself. He began as a Marketing Intern at Subset M, just to then gradually climb the ladder to a Bid Coordinator at Electrical Integration Systems and then the Director of Expansions at World Financial Group (WFG). He served at this latter organization from September 2012 to January 2016, which helped him secure a similar position at Lojistic before he was promoted to Revenue Operations Specialist in 2019.
James actually worked at this Costa Mesa company right until April 2023, following which he did a nine-month stint as a Salesforce Administrator at Sonendo before finally joining Phillips Connect. However, it’s imperative to note that he has done all this while also being an entrepreneur — he has been operating his own event-coordinating business called Griffey Audio Solutions since August 2008. Whether it be providing just sound-lighting equipment or offering a full DJ service, he does it all while also evolving into a true entertainment professional with a SoundCloud profile highlighting his work.
James Griffey is a Major Travel Enthusiast
With James’ stable career as a Salesforce Administrator and his creative pursuits as a DJ plus content creator, he has seemingly managed to build a good life for himself in Costa Mesa, California. It actually looks like this hobbyist photographer and videographer is currently in a healthy long-term relationship too, so the fact he gets to explore the world with her brings added joy to his life. From Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to 17 Mile Drive, from Playa Del Carmen in Mexico to Beaumont, and from Alaska to Newport Beach, this mashup specialist and video creator has been everywhere over the past few years. In fact, most recently, in May-June 2024, he was on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Alaska, through which he got to traverse the natural beauty of Ketchikan, Sitka, as well as the Nugget Falls in Juneau.
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