Sean Power, St. Brelade No. 2

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

Sounds good but what happens when the parents say they don't want to buy their kids back?? They are actually then giving Government the signal that they do not want to deal with the problem as they know that Government will take the problem on. This is like getting out of a car to tell someone off, you are comitted as soon as you have made the first step.

[Sean Power]

Dylan,

It is a matter of parental accountability. They should not be able to opt out. If the kids cause problems, the parents are accountable. Stop your child being an idiot and an irritation of you the parent pays the price in accountability, fines, etc.

Sean

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

So are you saying that as a states member who has had personal experience of these problems locally, that you are going to implement this scheme? If not why are you debating it in a forum now,when you have had a seriously long time to address it in the States assembly? 

[Sean Power]

Nice one !

I don't do miracles and I cannot change anything on my own. I am aware of the problem and like you I use this forum to express myself. This issue is just one of a long number of things I deal with.  It is not an Assembly issue. The legislation is already there.  It is a question of the SOJP and the Parish Honoraries using the scarce resources they have and getting to grips with an increasing problem. I am well aware of the difficulties it takes to catch these minority of kids.

Having a cheap shot like that shows that you are not aware of the time this single issue takes at many levels. What do you want ? A curfew or a Police State ?

Sean

[Chief Minister]

Don't they have a youth club where they can all meeting every night?  Kids behave like this through a mixture of alcohol and boredom.

[Sean Power]

Yes, Youth Club, swimming pool, sports complex, railway walk, beaches, sand dunes, adventure centre, .....

Don't know why there is so much boredom !

Sean

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

It was not a cheap shot Sean, can you confirm that you have spoken to Minister of Home affairs about this particular problem? If you haven't then there may be a cheap shot coming!!

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

BTW a curfew is the same as a Police state - what you are suggesting is not a choice.

[danrok]

Yes, Youth Club, swimming pool, sports complex, railway walk, beaches, sand dunes, adventure centre, .....

Don't know why there is so much boredom !

Sean

We had all of the above when I was a teenager, and we would have the odd beer or two, without causing problems or damaging property.  We weren't bored.

Teenagers don't always drink because they're bored, just like adults don't always drink because they're bored.  Drinking in moderation can make socialising more fun, that's why people drink.

If there is any real difference among today's teenagers, it may be because they're drinking more, or simply because they hang out in larger groups.

Mobile phones and the internet allow teenagers to organise outdoor parties much easier, and mean that far more people are going to turn up, which will mean more complaints.

[streetspirit]

ok so who would be responsible for children who misbehave whilst in care?

[Jersey Spud]

ok so who would be responsible for children who misbehave whilst in care?

The Minister, Shenton, no?.

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

I lived in Paris in the 70s when the student riots were at their worst. Where I lived at Pantheon, there were often up to 2000 surete armed riot cops sat waiting for their daily orders. I soon got chatting with some of these guys who advised me to carry 10ffcs and ID at all times. The reason being is that they would throw a "Cordon sanitaire" or human clean ring around all students and process every one of them. If you were caught up in this, you would be bussed out to the outskirts of town, processed ( possibly up to 2 weeks without ID) and then released with a caution. Those in the centre would take longer to get to and be imprisoned under the Riot laws.
Now here we have peaceful assemblies at Jersey Live in case there is trouble- the Poice draft police in from elsewhere. Where we actually have trouble, they ignore the problem. Surely it would be a simple thing to do on a smaller scale to process these yobs thoroughly and at the same time put them under individual curfews through the courts. Or am I mistaken that this is not what our court system is for?

[Razzard]

But nobody is rioting in Jersey and in no way can our current situation be compared to Paris in the 70's.

I think the idea that SOJ Police forming a 'cordon sanitaire' around a group of drunken school kids is pretty worrying. It sounds heavy handed when surely the better approach is to address the issues directly with the kids and their parents through the proper channels at school.

A long time ago I was a rebellious youngster roaming the streets of St. Helier and the police felt my collar a few times but through a combination of strict parenting, a supportive teacher at school and the shock of being taken into custody at Rouge Bouillion I soon changed my ways.

I think the main emphasis should be on the parents. I read in a earlier post that drunk kids where being picked up by the Honorary Police and taken home only to find the parents in a worse state. That to my mind is where to focus should be.

[The Rev Peter Sarkey]

Thanks Raz - sounds the same to me - only scaled down a bit, glad you agree.

[Sean Power]

Hi again,

The ones that by and large get into trouble that I am referring to are the 12 to 17 year olds. These youngsters that become tearaways suffer because of bad parenting.  There are,of course, exceptions.

My view is that the Honoraries should be given the go ahead to focus on the parents when one of these tearaways gets into trouble, especially, when alcohol or drugs are involved.

The other approach is Social Services involvement. If a family is seen to have problems, then I think the role of the States can be improved. Children slip through the safety net that should be there and they end up in trouble, incarcerated or serving a custodial.  This can kick off an an appalling chain reaction.

So, parental accountability, better social services and where are the Community Police  and the Licensing inspections. Five years ago, there were at least six inspectors. Now there are two !


Sean