| Gangs - Or Nice Jewish Kids? |
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| Written by Russell Symons | |
| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
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A common sight in most communities is the gathering of teenagers in groups for some common purpose: studying, shopping, socialising, etc. Far too often however, there is an assumption in the wider community that this group is a ‘gang’, a word implying some anti-social or criminal intent on its part. No doubt there are teenage gangs intent on illegal activity, but it concerns me that the negative label of 'gang' is applied far too readily and widely to groups of youths. Not only does the 'gang' label insult thousands of innocent young people; in quite a few sad cases it actually contributes to gang membership. Many young people I have worked with in a professional capacity are fed up with constant harassment by police and government organisations aiming to disperse groups of teenagers; and it is their frustration and anger which has eventually led to offending behaviour. Constantly labelled as gang members - and now with criminal charges to prove it - they gave up trying and accepted a tag they had never warranted. Why do teenagers congregate so often, and so tightly, in groups? Jewish adolescents, just as others, share common interests and needs and are learning the rules and demands of friendship. In fact such 'cliques' are a healthy part of a teenager's social development. But why aren't groups of Jewish students, at a bus-stop or playing cards, referred to as 'gangs'? In many cases, there appears to be a double standard. It seems that Jewish people don’t believe that our children form ‘gangs’, act in an anti-social manner or commit crime. The key (and worrying) point is that we choose not to believe that our children act and behave in this way. Preventative measures can steer young people away from offending behaviour; but they must begin with making them aware that crime happens and helping them to deal with it – especially when they witness or are a victim of it. The available services need to be better advertised, with more emphasis on the advantages of reporting crime; since my experience shows that young people choose to stay silent if they fear they may suffer the consequences of speaking out. The “Impressionable Minds” project aims to educate young people and adults in the causes and effects of criminal and anti-social behaviour. Using customised modules, workshops and presentations we have already raised awareness of the problem and, more importantly, how to pre-empt it - with schools, charities and youth groups. One young person who attended a recent workshop commented: “There needs to be a far greater respect for the good things that are done by youths, rather than us just being portrayed as drug addicted violent hoodies. If the media begins to show not only the failings, but also our successes, then perhaps people won't view the problem of crime as a losing battle”. For further information, please visit www.impressionableminds.co.uk ; or, to discuss personal concerns with a professional, don’t hesitate to email me at info@impressionableminds.co.uk. Trackback(0)
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 28 March 2008 ) |
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