I notice that there are a lot of private citizens concerned with the growing problem with middle-schooler violence when school lets out. Albany has had the problem for years, we are catching up. It is not a police problem, because police make arrests, but you can't arrest a twelve year old girl for much. The schools do not really have jurisdiction over the kids either. So it appears that in Schenectady, our taxes will go up while no one in government does a damn thing about the problems we are experiencing. Once again, we are on our own.
I got to thinking, don't we already have some kind of high-paid Director of Youth Services or some such thing? Being as many, if not all of the families with the unruly, unsupervised kids are likely receiving some kind of government subsidy, shouldn't someone working for SOCIAL SERVICES, and making a lot of money, get the heck off of their butt and DO SOMETHING before this gets worse? People have a lot of ideas, and they all agree that something needs to be done, but they need someone in government to lead the way, because private citizens have no real say over somebody else's kids. I'm not talking about some redundant feel-good but accomplish nothing program with a hack getting paid to run it, either. How about using the hacks we already have?
The kids causing the trouble need to be removed from the streets, ASAP, no question about it. Too old for babysitters, some of them evidently without the maturity to behave like a human instead of an animal, kids who abuse the privilege of freedom of the streets need to go directly from school into some kind of supervised setting, and they have to stay there until a responsible adult is ready to take them home. So, somebody needs to coordinate this, get ahead of it and put a stop to the problem. I think it should be the responsibility of someone who already has a taxpayer funded position. What do the rest of you think?
If whatever solution arrived at involves additional cost, the person putting this together needs to go to the state or somewhere besides the tapped out local taxpayer to get some kind of grant for the purpose. NO MORE HIGH PAID HACK POSITIONS, however. Earn your keep, set an example.
so are you suggesting that we get yet another government agency involved to solve the problems that the government agencies have already failed miserably at?
what you suggest will in fact create another high paid hack position who will just add to the already government created high paid hack position's problems that they can't fix!
NOPE.....it is the citizens/parents that need to take their kids, community, school back.....it starts in the home and needs to spread like wildfire! If the citizen/parents can't make a dent in this out of control society issue.....it will NEVER be resolved....no matter how much money or government programs you throw at it.
Parent's are ultimately and clearly the FIRST responders for their children.........NOT THE COPS/GOVERNMENT!
AGAIN..........if the parents can't get a handle on this out of control society issue, and stop depending on the government to fix it......this will never be resolved. imho
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
No, bt, I am suggesting that the agencies we are already paying for do their jobs and fulfill their duties to the taxpayers. These aren't my kids causing problems in the city, so I can't do much about them myself. But we do have a government in place, that we give lots of money to, to take care of problems that we in the city are experiencing, collectively. That is the purpose of government, its only legitimate purpose. Yet here we have a worsening problem in our streets, we also have someone in charge of youth services, do we not, pulling in 80k a year. So we have a bunch of Schenectadians trying to handle this while our government sits there, irresponsible? I don't think so. Just how are parents supposed to "get a handle on" other people's kids? Why should the citizens be taking on government's duty to maintain public safety? We have people paid to do that, who aren't doing anything! Yes, parents should control and supervise their kids. People SHOULD also work for their money and not hold up restaurants, there are a lot of things people should do and do not, and that is one of the main reasons we pay for our government, to protect the law-abiding from those who shirk their responsibilities.
What about the PINS program? (Persons in Need of Supervision) Is that still around? I don't know too much about it except for my little brother, when he was a rebellious teen, was involved with that program. This was many years ago. I think it's next door to the county courthouse.
Does anyone know anything about it?
And why can't you arrest twelve year old? I believe they can be arrested, disorderly conduct? Refusing to obey an officer? I don't know, just suggesting. I think that then one could get involved with PINS. I say arrest them if they commit a crime if just to scare them and make them think about their actions. Of course then you may have some kids who think it's cool, gives them "street cred".
And send the damn parents to parenting classes as a condition to continue with their benefits if they receive them.
arresting a 12 year old - holy crap - the dying women with babies will be out protesting - all DEMs cave to this and the arresting office will lose his RETIREMENT
You can't legislate 'good parenting'....or personal responsibility....no matter how many laws, gov't agencies or how much money you throw at it!
The point is........IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS!!!!
It's a social problem....not the governments problem.
Cops enforce the laws that are on the books...which presently isn't working. More laws or agencies aren't going to work either.
I know it almost sounds 'helpless' to say......'it's up to the parents'.....but clearly that IS the only remedy.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
What about the PINS program? (Persons in Need of Supervision) Is that still around? I don't know too much about it except for my little brother, when he was a rebellious teen, was involved with that program. This was many years ago. I think it's next door to the county courthouse.
Does anyone know anything about it?
And why can't you arrest twelve year old? I believe they can be arrested, disorderly conduct? Refusing to obey an officer? I don't know, just suggesting. I think that then one could get involved with PINS. I say arrest them if they commit a crime if just to scare them and make them think about their actions. Of course then you may have some kids who think it's cool, gives them "street cred".
And send the damn parents to parenting classes as a condition to continue with their benefits if they receive them.
once in PINS always a pre-criminal record......JUST KICK THEIR ASSE$ OUT OF SCHOOL.....once in the system becomes a BULLY....without light at the end of the tunnel...I know, somebody is going to give classic answer "if it helps just one kid, blah blah blah".
not all humans are made to be made into cogs...society can be a constraint on a lot of humans....'helping' them to accept these constraints is what public schools/religion/politics do.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
You can't legislate 'good parenting'....or personal responsibility....no matter how many laws, gov't agencies or how much money you throw at it!
The point is........IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS!!!!
It's a social problem....not the governments problem.
Cops enforce the laws that are on the books...which presently isn't working. More laws or agencies aren't going to work either.
I know it almost sounds 'helpless' to say......'it's up to the parents'.....but clearly that IS the only remedy.
Reminds me of early spring when I was driving back from Petta's on a weeknight around 10 pm, took a wrong turn and found myself driving on Crane Street. Kids were EVERYWHERE! A school night and little kids riding their bikes on dark sidewalks, running around, no parents in sight ...it was insane.
No one can force a parent to care, it's so sad to say and I wish all those parents who just let their kids do whatever were arrested. I see this too with friends of my children .. parents that leave and grandparents take the responsibility.
Apparently, the hundreds of "Youth Services" non-profits in the City can't figure out either...yet they get free property in the City and millions of State handouts for their inabilities.
"Apparently, the hundreds of "Youth Services" non-profits in the City can't figure out either...yet they get free property in the City and millions of State handouts for their inabilities"
That's what I'm talking about, Rachel! Why do we have people, IN GOVERNMENT, making these high, high, salaries, and we have kids in need ruling the streets? SOME of the charities do some good, but mostly in keeping some of the non-rotten kids safe from these junior criminals. Nobody is keeping these middle-school age kids in check, yet we pay plenty of money for something, what is it we are paying for? How about somebody steps up, and earns his pay, for once? Businesses have closed because of swarms of kids. Ask a cop, what happens to a kid that gets in a fight, steals something, vandalizes property? It might be a parent's job, to control their kids, but it is government's job to see that they do, and to help them with that if they can't.
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