I often think about violence and why no one points fingers at society. Normally the focus is too simplistic, make harsher punishments to deter crime (yea, we know that doesn’t work) or make stricter guidelines and regulations for purchasing a gun (we also know this doesn’t work).

When you look at the factors of crime largely it isn’t due to people who are off their rocker, but people who are just completely down on their luck, battling an addiction, or kids who have never seen promise in their communities.

When you look at kids committing crimes it’s important to first realize a few things. 1. psychologically, children/teens aren’t fully developed mentally to even comprehend the extent and the potential consequences of their actions. 2. kids also have this invisible kind of attitude (likely due to the former) believing that “it won’t happen to me.”  3. when you are 16 (let’s say) and have witnessed your whole life your mom/dad/parents/grandma/aunt/cousins/brothers/etc. struggle to survive and DIE in the process of struggle, what do you really believe there is to live for?

These aren’t the only 3 factors, but it’s an important place to start, especially for me at #3. When death is a greater reality than success your will to succeed becomes narrowed and perhaps dies completely. You go to school, but the school in your neighborhood isn’t adequately equipped to handle the amount of students. Teachers (likely) lack the training to deal with children with behavioral issues – that are largely a product of their stressful environment… adults have trouble regulating themselves when dealing with intense stress and kids have a harder time. Schools should be these safe zones – time away from the stress of their home life, but the reality is, it isn’t. Schools have become increasingly more stressful – standardized testing, bullying, and overcrowding producing stressful environment in it of itself. That’s not a place that will take a child forward and prepare them for the world around them. Especially children already suffering in their home and community. Yes, there are exceptions to this, but they are that – exceptions. The majority of people look at that ONE person who made it out, came from a terrible home/community/school and excelled. But out of every 1 that “makes it out” how many were killed/jailed in the process.

I read a great book, Random Family. The author followed a family for 11+ years from childhood to adulthood. With a mom and step father battling addiction the young son (believe it starts with him at 10 or 11) has to find a way to put food in the house and help take care of his siblings. His older sister looks to men to find an escape, only to end up pregnant throughout the book. She finds some comfort in a drug kingpin because he buys her family food. Eventually she ends up in jail for her dealings with him. Her younger brother again needing to take care of his family. He tries school, but that cuts into money-making time, he goes to juvi they make him get education, which eventually he leaves again to make money to support his growing family, he ends up with some kids. It’s just a complete cycle of poverty that is never-ending.

I’ve gone off on a slight tangent detailing the book some, but the fact is, that is a large part of criminal activity among children. The need of money for both themselves and for their family. They are a product of their society a society that has done little to help families in situations similar to his. The courts tried to send him to school, but they didn’t help his family thus forcing him back into criminal activity to support them. His mother was never in a rehab program to stave her need of drugs, perhaps this would’ve taken them out of the stress of poverty – even if just minimally.

Being poor is stressful, stress leads to poor decision-making and thus a cycle continues.

I’m not sure I have the answers to fixing the problem, but I do know we need a total revamp of our government. No more for profit businesses regarding humans, e.g. education, healthcare, prison system. By creating a standard for profit in regards to the betterment of human beings $$ becomes the focus rather than the people.

Food for thought,
notjustmythoughts

p.s. have a great New Year!