I ask myself, as I am sure every similarly situated parent does, how is it that some of these violent young men and women who would dare take such actions against another remain on the street? How is it possible we keep missing the signs these young people manifest before it is too late?
At some point, we must reassess and evaluate how our juvenile system is operating. Sending juveniles to detention centers for 60 to 90 days is not having a significant impact on the lives of these offenders.
These teens are not being effectively challenged or conditioned to change their way of thinking and striving to be better people. Maybe we need to consider detaining them until they have proven they are worthy enough to become part of our community again.
I think we would have fewer senseless acts of teen violence committed out of rage or from severe bouts of depression. Typically, our troubled youth begin by committing minor offenses, and as time goes by, their conduct escalates into murder, rape and robbery, changing all of our lives forever.
As parents, we have a moral and legal obligation to teach our children, and make sure they get the treatment they need to become successful young men and women.
My husband and I know we are not alone. Others have grieved before us, and others will grieve after us if we continue to ignore the emotional and mental health conditions of our children. The people who have stewardship to evaluate and manage our children’s treatment in the juvenile system must make certain they are not making decisions for the sake of expediency, or ridding themselves of a responsibility because a particular juvenile and their family have become a burden to the system.
We need juvenile laws changed to help, not necessarily punish, our youth. I want every child’s life to become a success story, not a tragedy.
However, the responsibility for protecting our community should not be left to the authorities. The molding and shaping of our children’s success starts at home.
Our behavior sets the tone for what they will contribute in their community. I think all parents need to focus on being the best parents that they can be so that our children will maximize their potential and not end up a criminal defendant or a crime victim.
There are other problems that lead to juvenile delinquency: poverty, teenage pregnancy and single-parent households. We need to implement preventive measures to help our youth become success stories. Children need and require guidance. We place unnecessary stress on our police, juvenile and adult probation, and the office of the Erie County District Attorney.
I personally believe the police are doing a very good job of capturing those people who are engaging in violent acts in our community. However, we can’t expect law enforcement to help our community if we don’t help ourselves.
Parents need to be held accountable for our children’s actions until they are of legal age. Accountability will force us to be more aware of our children’s problems, their friends and their decisions. I hear all too often the children are our future. If it’s true, let’s invest in our future by becoming more involved in our children’s lives and leading by example.
SONYA ARRINGTON, of Erie, is the founder of Mothers Against Teen Violence. She and her husband, Steve, are the parents of Steve Arrington II, who was shot to death as he walked out of his uncle’s store at 1825 Buffalo Road on Jan. 5.
Tags: boy shot, gladys carrion, juvenile violence, new york juvenile violence, ocfs, sanctuary model