Joseph A. Wickliffe
Why juveniles commit crimes is largely unknown. Take the case of Kayla Rolland, age 6, who was shot in the chest by another 6-year old classmate. The search for solutions to the juvenile crime escalation has been unproductive. It raises fears about parenting and concerns about the difficult life of a little boy.
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The boy who killed Kayla was full of hate. He spent much of his time watching violent movies. The boy did not seem to understand what he had done to his classmate. He was the product of an environment and family that was brokena broken home surrounded by gangs and drugs. The boy who did the killing had seen his uncle’s friend with a gun and he found the gun under a pile of blankets in the bedroom.
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Raising a child is not easy. It’s a full-time job requiring a great deal of attention, and offering no guarantee that the child will become a productive member of society as a mature adult. Children do have the ability to understand that lying, stealing, cheating, and hurting others are wrong behaviors, but how old would a child have to be to know that these actions are morally wrong? The age at which a child reaches the stage of reasoning varies according to how the body develops, how he/she is raised, and how those around the child act. Children sometimes learn to reason by observing the behavior of the people most important to them. However, there is no guarantee. At times, children follow their own dictates.
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Needless to say, society, the community, the family, the government and the parents need to work together to understand what children are all about. That is why it takes a whole village to raise a child. In order for children to become conscientious adults, it is essential that:
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Communities strive to incorporate youths into community functions,
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More positive role models come forward,
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The police play a more active role in communities, i.e., speaking at schools and participating in local functions,
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Schools and parents discuss the elements of delinquency and crime,
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Authorities and community groups acquire a broader knowledge and understanding of juvenile gangs,
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More resources be allocated to the prevention of youthful drug and alcohol abuse,
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The criminal justice system concentrate more resources on discerning the causes of juvenile crime,
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Juveniles and the criminal justice system make a joint effort to address the issues of concern to them.