Some of us might like to think that a world where kids kill other kids is purely fictional, but it actually happens fairly often. Case in point: Chicago, Illinois.
Last week in Chicago, an 18-year-old man was charged with murdering an 11-year-old girl in a gang-related shooting. Tevin Lee, a Chicago gang member, accidentally killed Shamiya Adams with a stray bullet as she was playing with friends in her home. Lee was aiming at a 14-year-old rival gang member who had a fist-fight with another 14-year-old with Lee’s gang. In a similar situation in Chicago not too long ago, a 14-year-old girl was shot dead by another 14-year-old girl when one showed up to fight the other.
Chicago has one of the highest homicide rates in the United States, primarily made up of gang-related incidents, many of which involve people under the age of 18. This is because gang culture is so deeply rooted in the Chicago community, especially in the lower-income neighborhoods. In a community where people are more or less trapped into a cycle of violence even at a young age, is there any hope for change?
Maybe so. As I said in one of my earlier posts, a child’s behavior depends on his upbringing and environment, so the key to stopping youth violence is to surround kids with positive influences. After school and youth recreational programs would be a nice start. It’d be really nice if we could bring back bible studies in public schools, at least for those in areas with a history of violent behavior like Chicago. If we want our world to be a little less violent, it starts with all of us showing the youth that there are better ways to live, more than we allow a bad example to be set for them.
B-A Thinks Too Much 
so the key to stopping youth violence is to surround kids with positive influences
I noticed in this and your earlier post you don’t talk about surrounding kids with the positive influence of two parents (and the associated families of each).
Shouldn’t that be a major factor in any plan to reduce violence?
Let’s work toward reducing the tendency to replace a parent with a check from other people (aka “government”). Let’s work to strengthen the family so that even if one or both parents are working there are still strong influences around.
If we want our world to be a little less violent, it starts with all of us showing the youth that there are better ways to live, more than we allow a bad example to be set for them.
I also think that we need to show them there are severe consequences to bad decisions that harm others. Let’s empty the prisons of non-violent drug offenders, stop the inane and ineffective “War on (Some) Drugs” and put hard core, repeat violent offenders in prison and keep them there.
Bob S.
You make good points.
I see where you’re coming from, but I don’t talk much about the family aspect because you can’t really force a bad parent to turn into a good one. In my posts, I make the assumption that children are misguided because of bad, apathetic parenting. What can you do to strengthen a family that just doesn’t care for whatever reason?
I agree with you on only imprisoning violent offenders, but that’s another story.
– B-A
B-A
can’t really force a bad parent to turn into a good one.
But isn’t that exactly what we try to do with people through the criminal justice system?
We can’t make them but we can do things to encourage and support them. We can make sure the consequences of not being a good parent is swift and not enjoyable.
Let’s start with reducing the dependency on governmental subsidies — welfare, WIC, public housing. When people learn they can’t replace a spouse with free money; they might start selecting better spouses or parents of their children.
Let’s actually teach kids something in school instead of the politically correct junk (diversity, global warming, etc) that fills their days. Let’s teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Math along with proper grammar, reading, history. Let’s hold kids accountable for actually learning and end social promotion.
Let’s make the Child Protective Services system work; if the parents don’t want to be attentive and active in their children’s lives; we will find people who will. We can require completion of parenting classes, job training etc in order to exit the system. Repeat offenders lose custody. Combine the loss of custody with smaller child support payments and less welfare and there is strong incentive for people to do the right things or not have their kids as a means of support.
Let’s make the tax code simpler and provide benefits for multi-generational family homes. There is a reason historically that kids lived with their parents when they were young and just starting out. There is a reason that elderly people went to live with their kids; we have tremendous wisdom and resources available but don’t use them.
I agree with you on only imprisoning violent offenders, but that’s another story.
Sorry but I disagree with you – it isn’t a different story is it part and parcel of this one. All too often we have generational tendencies toward criminality because it is “what our family does”. Dad went to prison, served a year or two, comes out has another kid, serves more time, gets out, teaches kids the same things that got him put away.
Break the cycle of violence by removing the role models of violence from society.
Bob S.
Lets break the cycle by educating more people and making them aware of alternative solutions to breaking the law. A child is not genetically bound to do wrong or good because of their blood line, but they can be influenced by their environment. Change the environment and change the child.