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Small Town Kids, Big City Crime
“[I] realized that I wanted more from my life.”
Sitting inside a local corrections facility, Paul
reflected upon his life and experienced a moment of clarity, and he recalls
the actions that placed him there.
From a very young age, Paul started acting out in any
manner that would generate attention. He would swear and make obscene
gestures to the faculty at school and become insubordinate. He would steal
items such as mechanical pencils from other kids. He sought out those
material things his parents would not buy. Although his parents were
involved in events such as school open houses and baseball games, it wasn’t
enough. When he started running away, he didn’t consider the impact on his
family or older sister because, “It [was] all about me.”
Paul was one of many teens who, despite the seemingly
comfortable setting of family life, became enticed in the excitement of
crime.
“I was first arrested when I was 17, riding in a stolen
car and taken to juvenile hall and booked for joy riding. When I was
17 I thought I was tough for telling people I had been to ‘the hall’ and
demanded respect for it.”
Although no longer a teen, Paul now contemplates his
past. The countless number of crimes he committed without being caught
doesn’t compare to the stark realization and necessity for change as he sat
in his jail cell. He is one of hundreds of Roseville teens who have been
incarcerated for their crimes.
Youth crime is a problem in the U.S. According to a
recent survey, about 9% of the murders in the U.S. were committed by youth
under age 18. Petty theft and assault and battery were the two highest
crimes committed by juveniles.
In 2002 in Placer County, the total juvenile
misdemeanor arrests were 1,094. Crimes such as petty theft, drug use, and
vandalism are common. Felony crimes, those of a heinous nature such as
homicide, burglary, and drug offenses, accounted for 429 arrests.
Roseville is the largest city within Placer County. In
comparison to cities such as Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles,
Roseville is smaller in population. However, Roseville is rated as the 67th
largest city in California out of 447 cities. Sacramento is 7th. According
to the State Department of Finance’s “2004 City Population Rankings” report,
Roseville’s population is 96,900. Just 4 years ago, the U.S. Census Bureau
reported Roseville’s population to be 79,921. And according to the City of
Roseville’s “Demographic, Development, and Employment Profile 2002-2003,”
the projected population of Roseville for 2005 is 102,000. Roseville is
continuing to grow into a big city.
How does the rapid growth of Roseville affect the youth
crime rate? One would assume an increase in crime is inevitable. However,
the statistics show otherwise.
Officer Michael Salsbury of
the Roseville Police Department says that despite the growth, felony
juvenile crime maintained its percentage,
and misdemeanor crimes fell to 3% below year 2000 statistics.
Officer Salsbury is in charge
of youth services. His position was first developed to deal with truancy
and runaway issues. Initially if a child ran away from home and the parents
had no idea of his or her location, a call placed to the police department
would yield a report on file and a flyer created with the pertinent
information. At that time, no further investigative steps could be taken
unless the parents provided additional information. Resources were not
available to try to track the kids down or provide follow up with the family
to determine why the child left the home. Now, his position has blossomed
into the “family crisis guy”.
When factors are determined
for truancy and runaways, “typically there is a parenting issue. It is a
stepping stone for other crimes from drug use to theft.”
He found that parents
struggle with their approach to discipline. “I’m at my wits end” is a
common quote from parents. Either they are too strong and strict or too
permissive, or plainly they just lack the skills. Additionally, many
parents know of no resources or assistance to help them with the issues that
developed with their children.
Roseville Police Department
has a two-pronged approach with working with youth: school and law
enforcement. School service officers provide the necessary resources and
assistance to address the growing problems within school boundaries. Their
presence is necessary and important as they develop relationships with the
staff and students and intercept problem activity.
One of the resources within
the
police
department is a program entitled The Parent Project.
It is a project that started 15 years ago to address the variety of needs
parents have when dealing with their children. The program is designed
specifically for the strong-willed or out
-of
-control kids. It deals with simple defiance to gang
relationships and drug use. Because of its success, the Parent Project has
now been facilitated in 34 states. In Roseville a new class is facilitated
every 45 days. This 10-week class explains how law enforcement works,
identifies elements of destructive teen behavior, and provides parents with
practical tools to address those issues in their home.
The key is that this program
focuses on initial defiant behavior before it gets out of hand.
Incorporated are principles that target juvenile status offenders whose
activities include runaways, truancy, incorrigibility, and juvenile alcohol
violations. Technically these actions are illegal; however there are no
facilities available to place these children and teens. The alternatives
are provided in this program to provide parenting and communication skills.
In escalated situations, such as theft and violence, an
in-house diversion program is available where Officer Salsbury works
one-on-one with parents and teens to develop a plan to affect change. Rules
are established and if the teen breaks them, severe consequences will take
place,
from work detail to spending time in juvenile hall.
A key element is goal setting. For example, if teens
want a driver’s license, they understand that their attitude, grades, and
behavior must be at an exceptional level to achieve their goal. If they
desire independence, they must prove to be responsible and accountable for
their actions.
Salsbury’s methodologies work. Calls for service from at-risk
families were reduced by more than 70%.
“Dealing with defiant behavior while it’s just defiant
behavior is working.”
[See my note later in the document. I’ve posed an
organization question. Depending on what you think, the probation info can
either go here or later where my note is.]
But parenting issues aren’t the only risk factors of
youth crime.
What about youth, like Paul, who have comfortable home lives?
Not all perpetuators of juvenile crime identify with
the following risk factors, but they are common to many.
Family issues: Lack of intact families,
domestic violence, child abuse, alcohol, and drug dependencies.
School issues: Truancy, lack of respect to
staff and teachers, fights with other students, and petty theft.
Sexuality: Early sexual behavior, pregnancy,
and sexually transmitted diseases.
Peers: Desire to fit into a particular group and
potential gang issues.
What measures can parents take to prevent problem
behavior in the first place? Most youth crimes occur between 3–7 p.m. on
school days, reports the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency in their
“Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report”. This finding
suggests a lack of adult supervision or constructive activities as
additional reasons for youth crime.
What options do children have after school? A sampling
of Roseville after-school activities includes school, city, and community
programs.
Roseville elementary schools
have Adventure Clubs: state-licensed before-and after-school care
on sixteen school sites. The Roseville Elementary and Dry Creek School
Districts work cooperatively with the City of Roseville Parks, Recreation,
and Libraries staff to provide facilities for kindergarteners through 6th
graders with supervised recreational activities such as art,
drama, sports, field trips, and homework assistance.
The Adventure Clubs program
began in 1987 on three elementary school sites and now serves over a
thousand families. Ken Bailey, Assistant Director of Roseville Parks,
Recreation, and Libraries says, "When a new elementary school is built in
Roseville, a new Adventure Club facility is part of the school design.” For
more information, call the City of Roseville Parks, Recreation, and
Libraries at (916) 774-5505.
What about options for teens? Roseville intermediate
and high schools offer many extra curricular activities such as sports,
band, and academic clubs. Outside of the school system, the City of
Roseville Parks, Recreation, and Libraries provides a variety of activities,
from sports, to classes, to dances. For more information, visit
www.RosevilleParks.com or call (916) 774-5242.
Other community options include local chapters of clubs
such as Boy Scouts of America, Campfire Boys and Girls, and 4H.
A key element in keeping youth out of trouble appears
to be a community approach of activities and intervention programs.
“The key is keeping them busy.”
That advice was given to Mike Lombordo at the baby
shower held for him and his wife. It also proves true for youth in
Roseville and Placer County. Mike is the probation manager for the Placer
County Probation department. Probation is the conditional release of an
adjudicated juvenile offender back into the community under certain
conditions. Currently in Placer County there are 394 juveniles on
probation. One third of these youth are involved in specialized
programs through a collaborative group approach to achieve positive
outcomes.
Under basic probation, juveniles are provided general supervision which may
not require specific programs.
In special probation programs, social workers, public health nurses,
children’s mental health, drug and alcohol counselors, and educators
integrate their services and form teams to provide a “Unified Service Plan”
to at-risk families and juveniles.
Success can come from all aspects of the
county’s probation programs. Initially teens don’t want to give up any part
of their freedom,; however becoming
involved in the program proves to provide great rewards. For example,
a
young
lady on probation was involved in high-risk behavior
and
was placed in her grandmother’s home. As part of her probation, she
participated in the ICS program
and was encouraged to volunteer
in a diversion program to keep
her busy. She contributed greatly to the program and gave great insight for
improvements. She went from virtually no attendance in high school to
graduating at the top of her class with a 3.9 GPA. She started cosmetology
school and she currently lives on her own in Nevada.
Probation placement for juveniles removed from their
homes is on average $4,500-$10,000 a month. Involvement in alternative
programs provides improved use of the funding and resources and can turn
juvenile delinquent behavior into positive growth and change. The advantage
of programs such as these is that it provides children and families a voice
and ownership of their problems and the future resolution.
The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act provides
allocation statewide through law enforcement for cities that lack funds in
human and probation services. This funding has added several programs to
residents in Roseville and Placer County.
91% of the juveniles involved in such programs avoided
new law violations. The truancy rate reduced from 30%-100% with the
probationers to 2%. These family centered intervention programs offer
intensified supervision and accountability which reinforces a positive
change in their behavior.
Mike Lombordo has great pride in this program. He has
a great deal of passion about the program as it is the cornerstone within
Placer County youth services and probation.
Paul now works in the field of electronics, is in a
healthy relationship with his girlfriend, and looks forward to purchasing a
house one day. He enjoys being an uncle to his 2 year old niece and
10-month old nephew. As he considers their future and the importance of
leading them from the life he led, he gives this poignant insight that all
families should consider.
“If you can find a way to relate to someone who is in
trouble, (by) sports, music, family, anything . . . that is the only way
that you’re going to get them interested and listening.”
Published by Inside Roseville
Karen Harold © 2004
Karen Harold, Principal of Conflict Coaching Company and also known as
The Conflict Coach, consults with and coaches individuals, corporations, law
enforcement agencies, and non-profit organizations to assist in providing
turnkey educational solutions, Domestic Violence awareness and response
strategies, and conflict resolution initiatives with the intended result of
more enhanced personal living and establishment of efficient and cooperative
workplaces. Karen is a national trainer to patrol officers, training
officers, social service providers, healthcare professionals and victim
advocates. She is called upon to facilitate workshops, present as a
keynote speaker, and a panelist for educational forums regarding conflict,
domestic violence, and anger.
Karen Harold is the host of the Internet radio program, Unraveling
Conflict, which creates the opportunity for real conversation about issues
of conflict, anger, stress, and relationships. She can be reached at
karen@conflictcoachingco.com. To subscribe to the newsletter,
Commitment to Conquer, email
newsletter@conflictcoachingco.com.
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