Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 January 2003 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2003 ■ PAGE A5

The Recorder JAWS section (Journalism and Writing Seminars) is a nonprofit instructional program established through The Recorder Charities to provide students of color (interns) hands on training and exposure to the field of journalism. The goal is to encourage participants to pursue careers in journalism.

Abduction of child is parents' worst f

By Donesha Smith Southport High School Recorder Intern The worst nightmare a parent can have is discovering their child has been abducted. According to the latest statistics compiled, in 1999, more than 1.3 million children were taken from their homes in the U.S. that year. Abductions usually fall into two categories - family abduction and criminal kidnapping. Family abduction usually occurs when, in violation of a custody order, a member of the child’s family, or someone acting on behalf of a family member, takes or fails to return a child, with the intent to prevent contact with the custodial person. Non-family abductions tend to occur when someone takes a child by physical force or threat of harm to the child. A stereotypical kidnapping occurs when a stranger or someone with little acquaintance takes the child overnight, transports the child at least 50 miles, and abducts them with the intent to keep the child permanently or to kill them. According to the statistics, nearly all the caretaker missing children were returned home alive or located by the time the study data was collected. Only a fraction of a percent had not returned home or been located. A breakdown of the data by different types of missing children showed: • Non-family abductions - 33,000. • Family abductions - 117,200. • Runaway/throwaway abductions - 628,900.

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• Missing involuntary/lost, and injured - 198,300. The estimated total of abductions by age groups was: • Ages 0 to 5 - 138,200. • Ages 6 to 11 - 175,300. •Ages 12 to 14 - 402,400. •Ages 15 to 17-596,900, Parents have strong opinions on the safety of their child or children. Ghana Pittman, a concerned parent, said. “I don’t think my children are ever safe. You can never have too much supervision. There’s too much carelessness in this world.” She said, “People don’t have concern for anything or anyone anymore. Things aren’t how it used to be. "People don’t stick together anymore. When children are abducted, it’s always a sad thing to hear." Pittman said, “I tell my children to not talk to strangers, don’t take candy from anyone. I tell them to

come to me if anyone asks them anything, even if it’s someone I’ve talked to before. You can’t trust anyone these days.” Sandra Barber, a day care owner, said, “I think that the Amber Alert system is a really good idea. I think It’s better than putting children’s pictures on milk cartons or the fliers that you receive in the mail. Most people don’t even look at them; they just throw them away.” Barber said she is not one of those people. "I always look at these things to make sure that it’s no one I know. If children are raised up properly, I feel they are safe.” The Amber Alert system places information about missing children with the media and on electronic signs so the public can know a child is missing. Day care owner Barber said, "I feel children aren’t safe when the parents have to work two or more jobs. Normally, they have more than one person to watch their

children. A lot of the babysitters are young and may not know what to do if a child were to choke, have a fever, or if there was a fire." "I think that parents should get a police report on the person who will be watching their child or children, because you can never be too safe,” Barber continued. “It’s really devastating to hear about children being abducted. If the abductor is caught, I believe they should be sentenced to death by lethal injection. I don’t think they should have a chance to live.” Clyde Spearman, the father of two children, said, "I think my youngest child is safe because he’s never by himself and never with an unknown person.” But Spearman worries about his other child. "I don’t think my 10-year-old is safe while at the bus stop in the mornings. He’s standing out there alone and is not guaranteed his safety. I tell him to never talk to strangers, to yell if he’s ever snatched up, and if he gets away to run to an assigned neighbor’s house. I also tell him to stay in a group.” There are tips parents can teach their children about the dangers of talking to strangers or how to deal with a stranger. Parents should stress to their children whose car they may ride in. Children should be cautioned never to approach any vehicle, whether it’s occupied or not. If a stranger asks for directions the child should tell them to ask an adult. Parents should create an atmosphere where a child is comfortable giving information about uncomfortable experiences. There is more safety in numbers, so children should try to be with siblings or friends. Children should always tell their parents where they’re going, who they’re going with, how they are getting there, and when they will return. Parents should discuss which homes in the neighborhood are safe to go to and their boundaries. Another very important thing to do is to make sure children know their address, home phone number, emergency phone numbers, and how to use the telephone.

Dealing with juvenile crime

COMMENTARY Pick me up and hug me; please don’t hurt me

By Jessica Dalton Indianapolis Christian School Recorder Intern Child abuse and neglect is a horrible tragedy. Some parents seem to think that child abuse is worse than neglect, but one is just as bad as the other. Just because parents are not beating their children, but they are neglecting their child doesn’t make it any better. Children are too young to defend themselves from their parents. If children are harmed at all, the last person to harm them should be their parents. A child should be able to go to their mommy or daddy and say “Mommy or Daddy, they hurt me.” Children should not be afraid of their - parents, or anyone else. Children should feel protected and safe, especially around their parents. But parents have the highest statistics of abuse on their children. The only people that can defend the children are we. Many cases of child abuse go unreported. The children are too young to call Child Protective Services (CPS). Small children depend on their parents to protect them, but when their parents are abusing them, they have no one to turn to. They are usually told not to tell anyone what is going on and what happens in their house stays in their house, so they don’t tell anyone. It’s not only young children getting abused - teen-agers get abused too, though it is more common with younger children. Most states say perpetrators of child abuse or neglect are parents and other caretakers, such as babysitters, foster parents, and relatives. According to reports received from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System:

• 60 percent of perpetrators were females. • 40 percent were males. • Median age of female perpetrators was 31 years. • Median age for males was 34. • 84 percent of victims were abused by parent or parents. • Mothers acting alone were responsible for 47 percent of neglect victims and 32 percent of physical abuse victims. • Non-relatives, fathers acting alone, and other relatives were responsible for 29 percent, 22 percent and 19 percent, respectively, of sexual abuse victims. There are all types of acts of abuse that people do towards children. Child fatalities are the most tragic consequence of maltreatment. Children can be protected if we become more concerned about the children. Child abuse is a very sensitive subject. It should not be taken lightly or laughed at like a joke. Many children die each year and many more are injured. Child abuse can occur at anytime. It doesn’t matter whether it’s day, night, or the afternoon. There are a lot of different signs from the child when they are abused and you can tell if they are being abused or neglected. The child draws away from others. They don’t like being touched. They usually abuse pets or can be abusive to others. They can have a mean or upset attitude. Most of the time they isolate themselves and stay away from others. Child abuse can scar a child for life. It affects them both mentally and physically. If you see or suspect any signs ’of abuse or neglect to any children, contact CPS. Children need to be protected. They are young, defenseless, and have no idea why they are being abused. Abused children may grow up thinking abusing people is OK and it’s not. So please protect the children.

By LeNisha Watson North Central High School Recorder Intern According to the National Research Council’s Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, youth crime rates have fallen significantly since the mid-1990s. But due to public fear and political rhetoric over the problem, criminal stereotyping of young people has increased. Acts such as the Columbine High School slayings and the sniper killings in the Washington, D.C., area only added more fuel to the raging fire of juvenile crime. Recently in the Indianapolis community, there have been several robberies of businesses. A group of mostly teen-age boys, commonly called the “Get Money Clique” have been connected to restaurant and video store robberies that occurred in November and December. 'Ranging in age from 17 to 23,

the gang faces multiple felony charges. Five of the young men involved are students at Lawrence Central High School. If convicted, the group could be sentenced to a combined total of 980 years in prison. As a community we need to acknowledge our youth and uplift their spirits. This may help defer the trend in juvenile crime. Sam Nahmias, chief and owner of Metro Enforcement, an Indianapolis security firm, believes that parental love, support and a big emphasis on respect are the key to understanding our youth. "Pay more attention to what kids are doing. Listen to them. We’re too busy as adults and parents,” said Nahmias. The book Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice also presents recommendations for dealing with many aspects of today's youth-crime problem. The book discusses patterns and trends in crimes by children and adolescents. Facts are backed by juvenile arrest data, victim reports, and

other sources. Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice also explores the theory of desistance, or the expectation that criminal activities committed by juveniles decrease with age. Helpful information such as evaluating different approaches to predicting future crime rates and how to answer the question why young people turn to delinquency is also detailed in the book According to the National Woman Abuse Prevention Project (NWAPP), many believe that young people have turned delinquent because of problems within the home. This is especially true if they have been the victims of poverty, neglect, and abuse. Children who grow up (n a violent environment hardly grow up at all In fact as teens, they seldom exhibit any adult qualities such as responsibility, ingenuity or honesty. These qualities, if present can help to defer

criminal behavior, according to NWAPP, based in Washington. Reports show that in homes where domestic violence occurs, fear, anxiety, and chaos replace the love, comfort, and nurturing that children need. These feelings in return can cause a child to begin to exhibit a violent nature, which can result in delinquency. To help ensure the safety of futuregenerations, political leaders and community advisors should consider making domestic violence cases more of a priority. Spokesmen for NWAPP say children in homes where domestic violence occurs are physically abused or seriously neglected at a rate much higher than the national average Young people who routinely witness extreme violence in the home become more likely to inflict severe violence as adults. If domestic violence is prevented, then violence among juveniles is more likely to be prevented in the future.

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Photo by Anthony, New School for Child Development • Special Education Division