Original_To:  BITNET%"POLITICS@OHSTVMA.BITNET"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 00:22:00 EST
From:         Tyrone Slothrop <199561011@VUVAXCOM.BITNET>
Subject:      RE: Youthful punks

From:         SPRG0002@TULSAJC.BITNET
Subject:      Youthful punks

 *** Resending note of 09/02/92 08:53

 >Also, what do list members think about punishment for youth? I saw a
 >recent cbs news article that car theft is epidemic on the east coast and
 >that many of the perpatrators are under 14 years of age. The police see
 >the problem as being that the joy riders are immediately released with
 >no punishment for their actions. I would think that there are other
 >social considerations such as lack of youth activities.
 >fred

 I just spent this morning visiting with a local police officer friend of
 mine.  Having already read your post, I asked him for his thoughts on the
 issue.  BTW Tulsa has just recently opened a nighttime hot spot for young
 teens to address this very issue.

 He and I were in basic agreement but I will try to reproduce his thoughts
 without adding my own bias.  The new teen spot I mentioned above is now
 attracting an average crowd of approximately 300 kids.  He says this is
 somewhere around 10% of the number that regularly hangs out at the local
 cruising strip.  These 10% are probably representative of what one could
 expect in any given city, they are kids that actually want something else to
 do.  For the most part, the other 90% are out to look cool, look tough,
 get drunk and get laid.  No alternative activities are going to attract
 these kids.  It is from this 90% that you will also get your young street
 punks (youthful offenders for the more sensitive types on the list).  The
 policy for now when dealing with these kids is 2 warnings, then a fine and
 finally a citation to the parents.  This approach appears to have some effect
 in controlling the 'hanging out' problem as long as there is enough manpower
 to continually harass the kids in order to reduce their 'fun'.

 As for the very young criminals, we both agreed that parents should have more
 control of their kids and responsibility for their actions.  Also, the use of
 *serious* bootcamp programs to impart discipline should be greatly encouraged.
 The major problem with many of these kids is they have no sense of discipline.
 Cleaning trash cans at 5 a.m. may supply them with the justification to not
 be scumbags.  The older kids will require something a little more
 controversial.  We both agreed that upon graduation from high school, EVERY
 young person (absolutely no exceptions) should be required to spend 1 year
 in service.  Military type service during the year(s) that would normally be
 wasted on alcohol, drugs and crime would go a long way in repairing the loss
 of guidance and discipline that used to be supplied by parents and schools.

 ---Robert

****************************
mandatory military service for every young person?  you ARE a sick pup.
i for one was NOT doing all those things that you accuse young folk of
during that year, and it is the utmost injustice to force a person into
a situation that they find ethically, physically and aesthetically
repulsive to attone for someone else's misdemeanors.  that is as repulsive
as saying that if a 13 year old kid steals a car, we should send all
kids who are 13 years old to jail, because if we don't, we know that
every one of them is going to do so as well.

brni
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