Feral children throw feces part one
The juvenile crime issue
My first juvenile court case was a stolen car. Of the next thousand, at least 30% also involved stolen cars.
Welcome to juvenile court, a hell rarely understood and more rarely improved upon.
I have been off and on in juvenile court for years, both on the juvenile criminal side and kid abuse court. Both court rooms are deep, dark circles of hell.
Across the country, juveniles are becoming more dangerous. You probably heard about the Philadelphia homeless man killed by youths, or the recent riot and looting at a Philadelphia WaWa. Wow Philadelphia, get it together. Unfortunately, juvenile crime is bad everywhere.
Big picture - these are single parent, poor youths. Many times they have five, seven half siblings with many fathers. They live in projects or section 8 housing. Both criminal youths and the abuse of youths usually occurs in poor communities.
The rise of criminal behavior is less understood. My county has a process getting a youths to court. The county tries to work with youths informally prior to the court being involved. Unfortunately, many youths start getting caught with high level felonies (stolen cars, shooting guns, rape). Those cases are immediately in court.
The cases we never see? The cases that were prevalent 15, 20, 30 years ago - theft, battery, damage to property. My courtroom used to be filled with stolen Best Buy CDs, stolen bicycles, eggs thrown at houses (I never was caught for those crimes, be better at crime 20 years ago millennials). Now?
Almost all felonies. Felonies that would land adults in prison for years or decades.
Why are kids becoming more violent? Incentives. There are better incentives to commit crime.
FIRST - kids can commit multiple crimes, even felonies, and only spend days in jail. That’s right, days. The system is as soft as Biden’s ice cream cone. Almost Everyone treats people under 18, even those with lengthy rap sheets, as kids. Seven years of escalating violence? Still a kid, my goodness, they need HUGS! Trust me - there are a few people who realize how dangerous the minors are. Unfortunately, none of them are in your state legislature or in Congress. Most kids get supervision and probation through their 6th, 7th arrests. Minors that continue to commit misdemeanors, like theft, may NEVER spend more than a few days in jail.
SECOND - Gangs know the above and use minors for their dirty jobs. Remember the 13 year old in Chicago who was shot by police? People mourned the young man - how could officers shoot a 13 year old? Guess what - he was in a gang and had a gun the same night there were multiple gang shootings.
This is common everywhere. Kids steal cars for gang members and drive them from city to city; they drive up to rival gang members’ houses and fire. What are the consequences?
Assuming no one dies…sometimes limited jail, services offered.
Keep this in mind the next time you hear about a juvenile stealing a car or a juvenile involved shooting.
More to come on this major issue few are talking about.
Namaste,
KONG