You are talking on the phone in your bedroom, making plans with a friend for a birthday party. Your laptop lies open in front of you, with a half-written essay you have to finish for school. Suddenly, there is a knock on the door.

Plain-clothes police officers enter the room. They begin stuffing your clothes, your laptop and your phone into bags. Someone slaps handcuffs around your wrists and marches you into an unmarked vehicle. "We are arresting you for the murder of ..."

This was the experience of Kenny Imafidon at the age of eighteen. A teenage boy from his school in PeckhamA district of south-east London., London, had recently been killed. Imafidon was charged with murder, attempted murder, attempted grievous bodily harm and possession of a firearm.¹

Crucially, he was not accused of committing these crimes himself. Instead, he was prosecuted with joint enterpriseA law under which people who did not themselves commit the crime can be found guilty of it, due to being involved in the situation. laws, following the principle of guilt by association. These laws are often used to lock up entire gangs for crimes carried out by individual members.

Imafidon grew up in Peckham when it was a dangerous neighbourhood. His mother came to London from NigeriaA country in western Africa. More people live in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa. and worked multiple cleaning jobs. He was a good student and hoped to study at a top university, until the legal case risked everything.

Imafidon had dealt drugs in his early teens. He was also in contact with the other defendants in the trial. But he knew he was innocent and assumed this was a case of mistaken identity. Instead, he spent six months in prison, because "I was part of this group of young Black men".²

In the end, he was acquittedDeclared innocent of a crime or of wrongdoing.; the judge found there was not enough evidence against him. Since then he has won an award as Britain's top Black student, founded a successful research and insights agency, met business leaders, politicians and members of the royal family.

But he has never forgotten this miscarriage of justice. Earlier this year, he published That Peckham Boy, a memoir describing his difficult childhood and the problems with the legal system. He also calls it a "manifesto" - a book calling for positive change for those on society's fringes. "When you're writing the story of your life," he writes, "make sure you're holding the pen."

Some think that overcoming problems makes people more determined. "Research now shows that past adversity can help you persevere in the face of current stress", says Paula Davis, founder of the Stress & ResilienceThe quality of toughness and flexibility that enables you to bounce back after setbacks. Institute.³

But, for all the inspiring stories of people who overcome challenges, many more never recover. They are unable to escape the trap of poverty, or loss, or mental and physical health problems.

It is a mistake to think disadvantage must be romantic. This is the argument made by Rob Henderson, a successful writer who grew up with abusive and addicted foster parentsSomeone who temporarily cares for a child, usually because their parents cannot. . "Conventional badges of success do not repair the effects of a volatileCan change quickly and unpredictably. upbringing," he argues.⁴

In the case of Kenny, none of his later achievements stopped him from feeling angry. He was angry about the justice system, which makes unfair assumptions about people's potential. But, as his memoir concludes: "Writing this helped set me free."⁵

Is adversity the best teacher?

Yes: Nobody wants a setback early in life. But, if you can overcome obstacles, you will prove yourself to be a more resilient person. Great art, for example, often emerges out of great tragedy.

No: Most people whose early lives are marked by struggles never fully recover. A few inspiring examples hide the long-term damage these hardships can cause.

Or... Disappointments in childhood and adolescence can make people more determined. But their later achievements will not replace their early hurt; that requires forgiveness and understanding.