Police have shared reports of several shootings and other crimes in the area over the last few weeks, some involving teens as victims or suspects. As a community, how can we help young people break away from the cycle of violence?
Here’s a two-phase approach. Immediate: Enforce strong penalties/sentences for violent crimes. You should still be responsible for your actions. Long term: We need to focus on restoring and strengthening the nuclear family and the value of life as a principle. So many studies point to the lack of a father figure and/or a dysfunctional family as significant factors in the probability of criminal activity as a teen and an adult. Most of these kids didn’t have much of a family, so they looked elsewhere for that basic need/sense of belonging. Other troubled youths and gangs filled that void and set these kids on a new, unfortunate trajectory. Getting out of it takes a strong-willed mind, a trait that seems to be drying up in society. — Jonathan Contant
If the youth aren’t held accountable for minor crimes, major ones will inevitably follow. Clearly, the lack of enforcement and prosecution of all crimes needs to be reinstated. — Ellen Hart Richardson
Punishment has been proven to not be a deterrent, so inflicting harsher punishments only makes life more difficult for youth. Blaming families for not staying “together” as nuclear families is not a tangible solution because there are so many reasons for divorce or parents not being around. Instead of focusing on those things, we should focus on offering more community activities targeting the youth. There is a lack of things for children to do that are low-cost or free. As a community, we are not offering community programming targeting youth, mentoring programs, etc. The privatization of youth sports programming is a prime example. Recurring programs through community centers have been proven to reduce crime. We need much more of this kind of work done in our area, so transportation is not an issue. — Emily Green
Hold the parents just as responsible if their child is under 18. Pay the victim’s medical bills and stop hand-holding! They know right from wrong. — Danree Heath
Make people get a permit before they are allowed to procreate. Don’t allow irresponsible people to become parents. You know I’m right. I’m always right. — Dover Hartman
Simple answers: 1.) Parents should be responsible for teaching their kids moral values. If you aren’t in their life, they will be in someone else’s. 2.) Actions have consequences. 3.) Liberal politicians who created the Delaware no-spanking law screwed up big time. They took away child-rearing tools that work in some households. 4.) When the judges and liberal leadership have a blind eye to crime, crime will be like water — it will find its own level. Now what? Like dog training, you need rules, boundaries and limitations! — Delmarva German Shepherd Dog Club
If the teen is under 18 years old, force the parent(s) to do jail time. — Chuck Holliday
