TEENAGERS IN TROUBLE
By Audley Phillip
I am deeply troubled since yesterday when I learned of the death of the teenager in the attempted robbery situation.
Many people would conclude that he got exactly what he wanted and until and unless it is someone very close to us, our feelings about issues of this nature would always be less compassionate and more judgemental.
Children were not born bad. Their environment, the lack of parental guidance and control, friends, social media and the “village” has driven most of them into some unseemly ways. We cannot underestimate the huge influence “bad company” can have on our children.
Criminal exploitation is a huge and growing danger for many teenagers and young adults as they are regularly targeted by older and more seasoned criminals because of their vulnerabilities.
Many are targeted into carrying or doing drugs, shoplifting, stealing, and more. The high cost of living is putting some families under pressure and many are unable to afford the essentials.
For many teens, this kind of uncertainty and stress at home is hard and it makes them an easy target for criminal groups.
Teens are often recruited to make “easy money” to help their family and to live an affluent lifestyle in an environment that looks and feels exciting and away from the home pressure. We are aggressively losing a lot of our finest teens through criminal exploitation.
Whilst I do not wish to lay any blame for this young man’s ultimate demise, where assistance and intervention is given, there must be consistent, up to date and timely follow up.
Some people are not as strong and as resolute as others. Their hands must be continously held daily and they must be bolstered and encouraged regularly throughout their journey.
They were already programmed, indoctrinated and brainwashed and the “change journey ” is not going to be an easy and an overnight thing.
We have to be more targeted and diligent in our desire to help them. It cannot be a once off placement and then they are forgotten.
We also have to enlist the help of social workers, case managers, counselors and other professionals to assist them along the way.
We have lost a teenager in a most distasteful manner and I hope that going forward we can all do more to save the others from similar outcomes and consequences.
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A very good read.
Your compassion and liberalism is to be highlyvcommended Audley.
However, I will always be on the side of the victim.
Many Antiguans know of someone who has suffered at the hands of a criminal or criminals.
These lowlifes just don’t care about the trauma and carnage that they leave behind; so when I hear that a criminal gets their just desserts by the general public (and let’s be honest here Audley, this is very rare indeed). It’s vindicated!
Victim support is somewhat difficult, after the death of a muched loved one, but I’ll always support them, especially when you think about those youngsters that have grown up also in difficult circumstances, and have decided that a life of crime isn’t for them.
THESE TYPE OF YOUNGSTERS DESERVE OUR HELP AUDLEY.
Have a great day, I always enjoy reading your posts 👍🏾
I agree with you writer…. We’re so quick to judge and not help, we’re not responsible for the families we’re born into nor the environment…. So instead let’s help how we can and don’t judge others for their circumstances…. God is the only judge for mankind… Pastors, teachers, police men and women, doctors, lawyers, other leaders, community advocates, parents, youths and so on we all need each other at some point, so don’t cast anyone aside because of their situation or whatever else….
You are talking bout life in the ghetto around the world and Wadadli just caught up, because of our youths trying to be and want to be like and it only takes one to be the influencer hence the cycle begins.
Many Antiguans grew up poor some with no father and mom working multiple jobs while throwing box money, but we still survived, never get free school uniform or even school meals, by our own text books, but on her own mom was still able to put food on the table pay rent and clothes us.Today in the ghetto mothers often know her son doing crazy shit but look away because of the monetary assistance.
Rasta was the only one smoking the herb back in the day, today the herb is a free for all to these youths who are now mixing the natural herb with all kind a stuff, you now place a gun in their hands, with no education, no job, no life but on the corner, YouTube videos, can’t discipline no more, now what you have? One powerful idiot with a gun roaming our streets.