Campers urged to stay on the right track

Consider the consequences of your actions if you do not want to come face-to-face with members of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) and end up being classified as a juvenile delinquent.

 

This was the message Sergeant Hallam Jemmott of the RBPF delivered to Project S.O.F.T. (Safeguarding Our Future Today) campers yesterday, during a session held to address the topic of “Juvenile Delinquency”. This formed part of the activities for the children attending the one-week residential camp, hosted by the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA), at Marian Retreat House, Verdun, St. John.

 

“You must make your own choices. A lot of delinquency happens because we listen to other people and we let other people influence us. At secondary school, it happens a lot. You see a lot of children who leave primary school as the best student, you hear this boy is a little angel, this girl would do anything you ask her, she’s nice. Then, after a year of secondary school, you hear all of the reports that this body is not learning well, this body is not committed to school, they are fighting all of the time, a lot of different things are happening with them and a lot of it is that you are being influenced by the things around you,” the officer told the young campers now making the transition from primary to secondary school.

 

“So the first thing I want you to do, is think about the choices that you have to make. That is the start in terms of not becoming delinquent,” Jemmott admonished.

 

Pointing out to the campers that delinquency sees young persons offending or committing a crime, he listed a number of behaviours that can see young persons going down this path. He noted that at-risk youth at times display aggressive behaviour and even violence, act out in a sexual manner, get involved in substance abuse, make suicidal statements or take suicidal action, lie, steal, cheat, run away from home and also exhibit a pattern of chronic truancy, where they stay away from school.

 

Those at risk for juvenile delinquency also stand in danger of being placed outside of the home and have likely had negative contact with agencies in society, such as the school, church, law enforcement and other societal structures. These youth have likely been touched directly by the consequences of the social ills in society as well, for example, substance abuse, promiscuity, physical abuse and the like.

 

However, the police sergeant told the young campers that they can avoid going down the wrong path, by thinking ahead and making positive choices.

 

“If you don’t like what the consequences are going to be, then it means that you are to make the right choice,” Jemmott said.