On Punishing Delinquent Street Kids

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We're undecided as a nation whether to punish lawless street kids or not. I mean, yeah there's a newly passed law on this but there's a growing clamor to review or revise it to consider a stricter one that would require a more telling punishment than just being kept in some haven or youth center. That's aside from lowering the age of criminal liability.

Okay, what if we make a harsher punishment? Like really imprisoning them in a jail cell separate from adult and hardened criminals? Plus making them taste a measure of prison hardship, like cleaning toilets, manual gardening, strict military discipline and the like. Problem is, where is that prison cell exclusively for kids located? Is it available now? And how many are they? Will they accommodate everyone?

So, because there is no such cell in existence at the moment, are we just going to make do with havens for delinquent kids where they're cared and pampered for more than taught hard lessons that will make them think 10 times the next time they decide on doing mischief? Is it really enough just to talk them out of it? On the other hand, is severe punishment also effective for their sure transformation?

This wouldn't be much of a problem if it's just a case of small theft or minor damage to property. But we see kids involved in the sale of illicit drugs, robbing public vehicles big time in broad daylight, and even juvenile rape! How do you deal with that? Interventions? What do they mean? Make them stand in a corner? Tell them how bad they'd been and then let them go? Make them write 50 times that they wouldn't do it again? Make them undergo counselling sessions?

If we're going to be honest, the problem does seem impossible, doesn't it? So we turn on the parents instead. They should be made responsible for the mischief or crime of their kids. I like this approach, but what are we going to do with the parents? Jail them? Would that do the delinquent kids any good? Will they change because they got their parents incarcerated for their foolishness? And with their parents in jail, who would look after them?

Okay, the church, at this point would come in and offer spiritual remedies. But how are churches actually doing these days? How are their youth members and families? I mean, is the church exemplary at handling their own flock? Or are they also plagued with similar problems, if not worse? Any broken marriages or families in their own membership, any prodigal sons and daughters? Jesus was clear when he said we ought to get rid of the plank of wood blocking our eyes before we try to remove the small speck of dust in other people's eyes.

I love the church option, offering spiritual solutions to juvenile delinquency. I'm sure it's going to work, but it should all be within the framework of the Gospel. Because if we do this with wrong motives--like targeting them for the mega plans of our church or denomination instead of doing it purely for Godly reasons--then we mess up everything. Yeah, we may appear successful, but really, we're not.

So, how do we settle this issue?

Well, for one, I'm sure pointing fingers is NOT the answer--except perhaps (I said "perhaps") in a certain measure, like blaming negligent parents. At times it's okay to look for someone to blame because somebody must assume responsibility, or else, people would just do irresponsible things and get away with it. Imagine all of us doing that.

But parents sometimes are not entirely at fault here, because I know parents who did everything to raise their kids right but failed nonetheless. It happens. Proverbs said train up a child in the way he should go, but Solomon later departed from the right way and married 700 wives and had 300 concubines--worshiping all their different idols.

See?

Well, Proverbs was proved right in the end because Solomon later concluded:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. [Ecclesiastes 12]

So, how do we solve the present juvenile delinquency crisis? Well, like Julie Andrews said, let's start at the very beginning--a very good place to start. We start with the family, especially while kids are still, well, kids. Tots. Right at the very beginning. And this is not so much the responsibility of government or church. This is more (or solely?) the parents' department.

Solomon did err, but it looked like the training he got as a kid from his parents did stick with him in the end. So the key is the parents. See?