Been doing some research and it seems that youth crime is still a huge problem here in canada. Especially surprising to me is the jump in incidences involving female youth in violent crimes over recent years. What kind of laws and policies can we put into effect to help curb this problem? If you could make one policy to help stop youth crime what would it be?
youth crime public policy
- Thread starter scabs
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Get rid of youth.
Or atleast not catagorize them as youth, they want to do adult crimes they should get adult punishment.
There can be only a very few genuine “artificial” (in the sense that they have been created for a ‘reason’) psychological constructs with the power or authority or perhaps simply the ubiquitousness of circumstance experienced with the effect of triggering our fear.
To admit that our social construct must bear significant responsibility as a contributing element to events and situations of grave seriousness involving crime, corruption and disaster is an acknowledgement few are prepared to make.
You can fool yourself for only so long and then always always always the chickens come home to roost.
As a grandfather, I see an number of things we can do to stem the rise in crime.
When they are little accountability starts. If they take something that doesn't belong to them make the understand what they did and take them to confront the person or store they took the item from. When they get into conflict don't just take action because they used violence, find out what really happened. Self defence is perfectly fine in my books, if they were being a bully however, intervention is required.
Teach them respect for themselves and others, and teach them to deal with differences of opinion by listening and contributing to constructive discussion.
Teach them to participate both socially and with chores, in the family and the community.
And most importantly, be a good example.
This fall for example, I had a problem getting my crop off toward the end.
My older grandkids all came out, some took time off work, the only demand they made was they refused to take any money. The reason is I helps them out when they are a little short, or I fix vehicals that are broken down, and do a host of little stuff to help, and in turn they wanted to give something back.
I've only had one that started down a wrong road. I asked him some questions and found out what he would really like to do. My wife and I bought him a guitar, today he has his own band, three guitars and is no problem.
For far too long older folks have failed to communicate, failed to set boundries,
failed to be an example, gave the everything they want and now we wonder why we have problems. You may not always like what they say, but if you communicate you will at least know what they're up to.
When they are little accountability starts. If they take something that doesn't belong to them make the understand what they did and take them to confront the person or store they took the item from. When they get into conflict don't just take action because they used violence, find out what really happened. Self defence is perfectly fine in my books, if they were being a bully however, intervention is required.
Teach them respect for themselves and others, and teach them to deal with differences of opinion by listening and contributing to constructive discussion.
Teach them to participate both socially and with chores, in the family and the community.
And most importantly, be a good example.
This fall for example, I had a problem getting my crop off toward the end.
My older grandkids all came out, some took time off work, the only demand they made was they refused to take any money. The reason is I helps them out when they are a little short, or I fix vehicals that are broken down, and do a host of little stuff to help, and in turn they wanted to give something back.
I've only had one that started down a wrong road. I asked him some questions and found out what he would really like to do. My wife and I bought him a guitar, today he has his own band, three guitars and is no problem.
For far too long older folks have failed to communicate, failed to set boundries,
failed to be an example, gave the everything they want and now we wonder why we have problems. You may not always like what they say, but if you communicate you will at least know what they're up to.
First of all, I don't believe youth crime is out of control in Canada. Let me say I don't believe ANY kind of crime is out of control in Canada. We live in a remarkably civil, peaceful socety.
That said, I do think we have coddled the young. When I was a JD, the legal age of adult responsibility was 16, and I think that is MUCH more reasonable than the current 18.
In addition, it is almost impossible to get kids under the legal age given any REAL punishment. Probation orders, blah, blah, blah, on and on, conditional setences, most of which are useless and ignored in the kind of home environment that typically breeds criminal youth.
That said, I do think we have coddled the young. When I was a JD, the legal age of adult responsibility was 16, and I think that is MUCH more reasonable than the current 18.
In addition, it is almost impossible to get kids under the legal age given any REAL punishment. Probation orders, blah, blah, blah, on and on, conditional setences, most of which are useless and ignored in the kind of home environment that typically breeds criminal youth.
I agree with grumpy about what we can do as parents/family, but what we have to consider are the "bad apple" families that are all over our countries today - what do you do when the parents dont care about their kids morals, or what they do to others?
I am a big believer in progressive punishment. Even for fairly minor things.
If you get caught spray-painting someones house, A) you are made to remove it, B) you get put in a young offenders institute for a week.
If you are causght doing something again - a month in a jail/young offenders institute, the next time 2 months, then 4 months then a year, then 2 years, then 5 years etc. If they have not learned by the end of that, lock them up for a long long time.
Here in the UK, we have a huge problem with youth crime. And the girls are now as bad as the boys. Especially when alcohol comes into the picture - at that point, girls are WORSE than boys.
But here, they get a slap on the wrist and told to go home. And that can happen 10 times before any "real" action is taken.
These people begin to believe they can get away with things, and thats a very dangerous thought to put in a young persons head.
I am all for longer sentences. And I think that jails should be a place of punishment, not pleasure. Why do they get pool tables, SKY tv, dart boards, games rooms etc. I am not a criminal and I dont even have that at home.
Criminals should be put in chain gangs and made to build new prisons or other public buildings. It is supposed to be punishment... so punish them.
I am a big believer in progressive punishment. Even for fairly minor things.
If you get caught spray-painting someones house, A) you are made to remove it, B) you get put in a young offenders institute for a week.
If you are causght doing something again - a month in a jail/young offenders institute, the next time 2 months, then 4 months then a year, then 2 years, then 5 years etc. If they have not learned by the end of that, lock them up for a long long time.
Here in the UK, we have a huge problem with youth crime. And the girls are now as bad as the boys. Especially when alcohol comes into the picture - at that point, girls are WORSE than boys.
But here, they get a slap on the wrist and told to go home. And that can happen 10 times before any "real" action is taken.
These people begin to believe they can get away with things, and thats a very dangerous thought to put in a young persons head.
I am all for longer sentences. And I think that jails should be a place of punishment, not pleasure. Why do they get pool tables, SKY tv, dart boards, games rooms etc. I am not a criminal and I dont even have that at home.
Criminals should be put in chain gangs and made to build new prisons or other public buildings. It is supposed to be punishment... so punish them.
One of the problems today is with adults rather than the kids. Everything needs to be punished, or we need a professional to analyse the the behavior.
Give me a break. I drank a little beer, had some whiskey from a dixie cup out back of the dance hall. And raised a little hell from time to time. The problem today is that some youth have become so distructive and they are using an increasing amount of violence and thats because we didn't do a good job when they were younger. As a society we have to start over in some areas and we have to lighten up in others.
I have some teenage grandkids that play a little cards, and have a few beers, big deal. One smokes and I wish he wouldn't but it hardly requires police action if you know what I mean. Everyone them has a job, of the six teenagers only one doesn't have a drivers licience and four have their own cars.
And no none of them drink and drive, because they want to get to work and they don't want to destroy their investment they are paying for.
Yes the kids have to be responsible for their actions, but adults must be responsible and accept responsibliity for their actions as well.
A lot of older people are in denial, they have contributed to the problems and they can't figure out how the kids turned out the way they have.
All you have to do is look in the mirror, chances are if you were a good example, they are ok and if you were a goof, well,,,, you know what I mean.
Give me a break. I drank a little beer, had some whiskey from a dixie cup out back of the dance hall. And raised a little hell from time to time. The problem today is that some youth have become so distructive and they are using an increasing amount of violence and thats because we didn't do a good job when they were younger. As a society we have to start over in some areas and we have to lighten up in others.
I have some teenage grandkids that play a little cards, and have a few beers, big deal. One smokes and I wish he wouldn't but it hardly requires police action if you know what I mean. Everyone them has a job, of the six teenagers only one doesn't have a drivers licience and four have their own cars.
And no none of them drink and drive, because they want to get to work and they don't want to destroy their investment they are paying for.
Yes the kids have to be responsible for their actions, but adults must be responsible and accept responsibliity for their actions as well.
A lot of older people are in denial, they have contributed to the problems and they can't figure out how the kids turned out the way they have.
All you have to do is look in the mirror, chances are if you were a good example, they are ok and if you were a goof, well,,,, you know what I mean.
damngrumpy
You are a lucky person - but you haven't been tested much compared with some. Even the one grandson who apparently seemed at loose ends only needed to be led to a place where he found his "style".
No - you are fortunate because some families no matter how good they are and how well brought up their
kids and grandkids are - one or two will fall by the wayside.
Often it occurs through peer pressure and if one argues against having the bad seed as a friend - one only pushes the kid towards that influence for whatever seems to be the attraction.
Good homes, great parents, active family participation and open/honest sharing will generally build great decision-making in kids - because they are allowed to explore within boundaries and be accepted within the family for so doing. To find their path with the elders' hands on their backs in encouragement.
Yet that one or two who slip through - get mixed up with the law - get into worse trouble with habituation - those are the ones we adults are left to grieve over. Who ask: "What did we miss?"
I have yet to come up with an answer - I am still waiting for some Nobel Prize winner (in my book) - to come up with an answer....how to bring back a lost kid.... with minimal impairment. Back into the sun.
You are a lucky person - but you haven't been tested much compared with some. Even the one grandson who apparently seemed at loose ends only needed to be led to a place where he found his "style".
No - you are fortunate because some families no matter how good they are and how well brought up their
kids and grandkids are - one or two will fall by the wayside.
Often it occurs through peer pressure and if one argues against having the bad seed as a friend - one only pushes the kid towards that influence for whatever seems to be the attraction.
Good homes, great parents, active family participation and open/honest sharing will generally build great decision-making in kids - because they are allowed to explore within boundaries and be accepted within the family for so doing. To find their path with the elders' hands on their backs in encouragement.
Yet that one or two who slip through - get mixed up with the law - get into worse trouble with habituation - those are the ones we adults are left to grieve over. Who ask: "What did we miss?"
I have yet to come up with an answer - I am still waiting for some Nobel Prize winner (in my book) - to come up with an answer....how to bring back a lost kid.... with minimal impairment. Back into the sun.