There were a lot of articles that came out when the first trial was happening wherein adults spoke about how being sent to boarding school in Africa actually saved their life. I don’t know the situation those people were in as children, and I don’t know the situation this family is in, but I find it hard to believe that absence from family who love and support you is somehow the best way to keep someone from being involved in gang activity. It’s possible that it keeps him out of trouble, but I can’t imagine the harm this is doing to him and his relationship with his parents in the long term. I don’t know what the “right” answer is in situations where a child needs more care than the family can provide, but I want to believe that there are better options.