A local activist says while young people committing smash and grab crimes has not changed, the circumstances around them have.
Dr. Joseph Marshall is the executive director of the Omega Boys Club - Alive & Free. It's a San Francisco based organization that aims to prevent violence and provide a path to college for Bay Area youth.
He's been working with the youth since 1987, and he has seen young people committing these types of crimes before, but the pandemic has brought new challenges.
Over the last year, kids were pushed out of their normal school routines, which limited their ability to talk about their issues with adults they trust outside of their homes.
"The big things they haven't been able to do is get out and have confidants in adults to discuss the challenges inside of them," said Marshall.
"There's a lot of fear, anger and stuff going on inside of them. They have suicidal thoughts and are lashing out, they don't engage and have conversations with adults they can trust that can help guide them in the right direction. They know what they're doing is wrong, but no one is there to help them stop doing it."
Marshall also says kids he works with feel social media is both the best and worst thing for their generation because it's brought peer pressure to a new level.
"They try to validate themselves with social media, they watch other people doing things and the information overload is too much for them and they don't always have adult contacts who can help them sort through the issues going on inside of them. Peer pressure is always there, but a lot of pressure is coming through social media," said Marshall.
Marshall also says young people are very aware of police staffing cuts across the Bay Area, and the no bail system -- which makes them less afraid to commit crimes.
He hopes the work he does at his organization will continue to guide more young people on a path to college and away from violence. He's also recently been appointed to the National Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, which will work to conduct a systematic study of the conditions affecting Black men and boys including homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rates.
"It's a bipartisan group and hopefully we can agree on plans that will make things better for them," Marshall said.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3EjaS3X
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