The headline of the story on page five of Wednesday’s Guardian was “Teen guilty of killing cop.” And on page eight of the same issue, the headline read “Teen to face trial for murder.”

Violent crime being committed by young people is nothing new and, being part of the general population, they are not insulated from the factors that would cause someone to run afoul of the laws which set the standard for civil existence.

But as a parent I am wondering if we as adults do not, individually, feel the pain when we see young, innocent looking boys and girls being hauled before the courts on some kind of criminal charge.

Do we feel a sense of outrage, pity or shame when we see these lost souls being sent to correctional facilities?

As a parent I feel for those children who, for whatever reasons—lack of a proper family life background or upbringing, single parenting, hanging out with the wrong crowd, or naturally being “bad”—end up on the wrong side of the law.

Are we by our own anti-social, criminal, deviant attitude and actions letting down the young ones?

Aren’t we sending them very mixed and confused signals by our lack of respect for institutions and respect for basic fundamentals?

Are they emulating—and sometimes exceeding in its brutality—the evil deeds of the adults?

Thank God none of my children has taken that path but I want you to tell me that if you don’t think any one of these children could be yours?

Would you feel that you are to be blamed for failing your child if you did not inculcate the right values in them?

The wife of Police Constable Kierna Parke couldn’t have said it better after the jury on Tuesday found Kerron Joseph,guilty of fatally shooting her husband in December 2002. At the time he committed the offence he was just 16 years old.

Mrs Parke said she was sad that two lives were over—her husband’s and now Joseph’s.

Don’t you feel emotionally upset that a young man has had his life effectively ended by that indiscriminate act? How would you feel if that was your child? What was he thinking about when he fired that fatal bullet?

Really, I want to know what would you have done if that was your child?

For me that is so emotionally painful. I don’t know about you but I cannot think how I as a father could survive any of my children finding themselves in that heart-wrenching situation. I think I would die of grief.

Maybe I am a softie but I am very partial to children and I just cannot fathom how young people, teens most of all, can pick up a weapon and maim or kill another human being.

Some people blame broken homes for causing many young people to drift into a life of crime. While that may have some merit I do not completely buy it because I, like so many other adults, did not have the luxury of being brought up by my parents.

That did not cause me to abandon all the good virtues my adopted mother imparted to her charges and today I can say that she did an excellent job, given the economic circumstances under which we grew up in San Juan.

Today when I look at the behaviour of young children, on the way to and from school particularly, I am saddened over their conduct, which in some instances is downright lewd.

Sometimes I see them fighting. And do I dare intervene to point out to them the error of their ways?

It hurts me knowing I dare not do anything of the sort for fear of their verbal or physical wrath.

I often wonder whether these children live with their parents or any adults at all.

You see I am of the firm belief that parents are largely to be held responsible for the delinquent behaviour of their charges.

Setting the right example is of paramount importance. If your child is showing signs of going down the wrong road, instead of giving up on them, as a parent you have to let them know in a most compassionate way the long-term consequences of their defiant

actions today.

On the subject of not giving up, today I am appealing to the Government to give young offenders the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves by throwing their full support behind Vision On A Mission.

This vibrant group, led by the equally dynamic Wayne Chance, has been in the vanguard of changing around the lives of ex-convicts with little support from the State or the business sector.

On serving his eight-year term, Wayne, no doubt having learned his lesson behind bars, did not allow real obstacles to divert him from being focused on assisting ex-prisoners.

To date he has spent some $61,000 on rentals, stipends for a small staff and other recurrent expenses.

In spite of the lack of funds, Wayne recently rented a home in Champs Fleurs where freed people can find hope and sustenance, if only for a short time, before venturing out on their own.

Although refusing it to call the facility a half-way home because it is reminiscent of a prison-like connotation, Wayne needs all the help he can get at this time.

He can be contacted at 678-4860 or 628-9960.

I paid a visit to the intransit shelter, as Wayne would prefer it to be known, and I was deeply moved by the stories of these young men who want to be given a second chance at being good citizens.

Please do not let them down.