SAN DIEGO -- Some former gang members in San Diego want to help curb the gang problem around the county, but most are not allowed to associate in their old neighborhoods.

10News spent a few days with a former member of the 5-9 Brims who is trying to warn kids about the dangers of gangs while turning his own life around.

Richard Catlin is considered one of the lucky ones.

At 32, he’s a survivor, while many of his friends are either dead or serving time in prison.

Catlin is a product of southeast San Diego, specifically Ocean View Boulevard.

“I was born on Ocean View. I ain't supposed to represent that? I was born there. That's my street, born and raised. Ocean View Boulevard,” said Catlin.

It is a community in which he is closely monitored because of gang injunctions.

Catlin has spent the majority of his adult life in prison on drug charges, but most of that time was due to violations of his parole.

As a former member of the 5-9 Brims gang, he is not allowed to wear the color red, be out after a curfew or even gather with suspected gang members.

Catlin had to get special permission to attend a memorial for his mother and grandfather at Ocean View Park.

He also needed an OK from his parole officer just to attend a community meeting on overcoming gang violence. It did not take long to see just how big of a problem gangs can be with young men in southeast San Diego.

“They still ain't got it all because they don't have our guidance. That goes with saying, you taking the older cats off the streets to guide 'em right. See, we know we made a mistake but we can't teach 'em right if we ain't here to teach 'em. That's hard,” said Catlin.

Unable to do everything he can for his community, Catlin is in the process of getting his own life back together.

He has been out of prison for two consecutive years, mostly because he is in school learning a trade.

Catlin still has dreams. He hopes to release his own rap CD one day.

On his CD, he apologizes to his mother for missing time with her. He also raps about life on the streets of southeast San Diego.

There are 12 different gang injunctions in San Diego, the largest of which is southeast San Diego.

Catlin will finish trade school in the fall and is still doing everything he can to fight the gang problem in his old neighborhood.