Enraged by a recent rash of robberies allegedly committed by teens, Upper Darby Police Superintendent said that those who draft legislation should spend a night on the streets of Upper Darby.
Last week, six “wolf-pack” robberies committed by males 14-to-17-years-old – in groups of three to eight – occurred throughout the township. All of them involved assaults – one victim’s jaw was broken, and another required stitches.
Syed Kamal, 39, said that on July 28, he was held up at gunpoint and beaten in front of his home by three teens. He required seven stitches on his head and hands and an MRI. The following night, Dennis Smith was attacked as he got out of his car. He was beaten – as they stole his watch, wallet, keys and belongings. On Friday, Jagjit Singh, was attacked at Market Street and Glencoe Road by six to eight juveniles. During the arrest, one sergeant was assaulted and kicked in the groin by an offender.
When police took the boys to the Delaware County Juvenile Detention facility, police were told to give two of the teens back to their parents.
Recently the legislature enacted laws that reduce the ability of youth and juvenile centers to care and maintain a safe environment for the youths. Delaware County Juvenile Detention cannot handle these kids so the safest thing for the Center to do is release the kids back into the community for the police to handle. The problem is that it jeopardizes public safety. These “kids” are out there brutally assaulting people and then because of bad legislation are simply told to go to their rooms.
This problem is not unique to Pennsylvania. There are reports of identical situations in Maryland, New York Ohio and Oregon,
In NY three kids released back into community settings in less than 6 months resulted in: 1. a fatal shooting, 2. a shooting that disabled and brain damaged a police officer and 3. a fatal beating of a group home worker.
In MD the kids overpowered staff at a juvenile center because staff are no longer allowed sufficient tools to control the population in their care beating and injuring staff. The youths then jumped the fence and escaped into the community. Not to mention the juvenile offender released into the community that raped an elderly woman after escaping in 2008.
Tags: juvenile justice, juvenile sentencing, juvenile violence, pennsylvania juvenile violence, pennsylvania violence, prone restraint
PA: Juvenile ‘wolf packs’ run amok in a wave of violent robberies & then given back to their parents and sent to their rooms
Enraged by a recent rash of robberies allegedly committed by teens, Upper Darby Police Superintendent said that those who draft legislation should spend a night on the streets of Upper Darby.
Last week, six “wolf-pack” robberies committed by males 14-to-17-years-old – in groups of three to eight – occurred throughout the township. All of them involved assaults – one victim’s jaw was broken, and another required stitches.
Syed Kamal, 39, said that on July 28, he was held up at gunpoint and beaten in front of his home by three teens. He required seven stitches on his head and hands and an MRI. The following night, Dennis Smith was attacked as he got out of his car. He was beaten – as they stole his watch, wallet, keys and belongings. On Friday, Jagjit Singh, was attacked at Market Street and Glencoe Road by six to eight juveniles. During the arrest, one sergeant was assaulted and kicked in the groin by an offender.
When police took the boys to the Delaware County Juvenile Detention facility, police were told to give two of the teens back to their parents.
Recently the legislature enacted laws that reduce the ability of youth and juvenile centers to care and maintain a safe environment for the youths. Delaware County Juvenile Detention cannot handle these kids so the safest thing for the Center to do is release the kids back into the community for the police to handle. The problem is that it jeopardizes public safety. These “kids” are out there brutally assaulting people and then because of bad legislation are simply told to go to their rooms.
This problem is not unique to Pennsylvania. There are reports of identical situations in Maryland, New York Ohio and Oregon,
In NY three kids released back into community settings in less than 6 months resulted in: 1. a fatal shooting, 2. a shooting that disabled and brain damaged a police officer and 3. a fatal beating of a group home worker.
In MD the kids overpowered staff at a juvenile center because staff are no longer allowed sufficient tools to control the population in their care beating and injuring staff. The youths then jumped the fence and escaped into the community. Not to mention the juvenile offender released into the community that raped an elderly woman after escaping in 2008.
Tags: juvenile justice, juvenile sentencing, juvenile violence, pennsylvania juvenile violence, pennsylvania violence, prone restraint