Keeping our Youth Out of Trouble

Keeping our Youth Out of Trouble Chris Droessler CTE Coordinator NC Community Colleges DroesslerC@NCCommunityColleges.edu Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org/presentations www.ncperkins.org/nceta Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org

Good vs Bad

NC Comprehensive Strategy

Differences • Delinquent – Juvenile under age 16 who commits a crime or infraction, or violates motor vehicle laws. • Undisciplined -- Juveniles 18 and under, and commit acts such as truancy, running away, ungovernable etc.

The Other Choice Diversion • “The idea of diversion is to intervene early and give the juvenile who has allegedly committed an illegal act an appropriate consequence and allow the juvenile to prove that, given the opportunity and the resources, the juvenile can develop into a stable and productive member of society.” (Juvenile Diversion in NC DJJ 2013)

Three components • Work with the Family • Work with the Community • Work with the Youth

Nip it in the Bud • Lack of social ties (ages 12 to 14) • Negative peer associations (ages 12 to 14) • Poor parental management/Family problems • Antisocial/pro-criminal attitudes • Hyperactivity/impulsivity/attention problems • Poor school performance/behavior problems at school • Community disorganization/neighborhood criminality

The Roots of Risk • Dysfunctional Family -- poor family parental guidance and other family issues. • Not knowing what normal is, the parents may think all is ok. • Dysfunctional family is considered the root of most risk factors.

Causes of the risk • Because they don't know what normal is, a dysfunctional family is participating in the pretense that they are a normal family bringing up children within the range of what is normal.

Expanding Horizons • They begin to understand that things can be different than what they have experienced in their own families. • When kids have spent a considerable amount of time with the families of friends, • By that time, they have spent all of their formative years in an abnormal situation, developing abnormal ideas about love, loyalty, interdependence, functioning and roles

Avoid Labels • Don’t label youth • Don’t label parents • All youth are “normal”

Expanding Horizons They begin to understand that things can be different than what they have experienced in their own families. • When kids have spent a considerable amount of time with the families of friends, • By that time, they have spent all of their formative years in an abnormal situation, developing abnormal ideas about love, loyalty, interdependence, functioning and roles

Working with the family • To deal with a dysfunctional family is not only to deal with whatever they say the problem is, but also to deal with an intricate system of illusions and myths that the family relies on to keep it whole. • All families are normal

Get Help • In most dysfunctional families children tend to learn to doubt their own intuition and emotional reactions. • Outside support • provides an objective perspective • much-needed affirmation which will help you learn to trust your own reactions.

Look before you Leap • Don’t criticize. Analyze. • If you think the family is dysfunctional, take a step back and try to identify the forces that keep it that way.

Recognizing the strong points People who grow up in dysfunctional families often: • Have finely tuned empathy for others; • Are very achievement-oriented • Are highly successful in some areas of their lives; • Are resilient to stress and adaptive to change. It is important not to lose sight of the good qualities.

Helping the Parents • Faith Groups • Library • A Family Mentor • Picture books • Reading in a different way • Create your own Story • Family stories • Community events

Gangs • Don’t glorify gang activity • Discuss negative effects • Choices have consequences • Discuss positive life choices • Focus on youth’s positive skills/influence • Discuss conflicting messages • Family cares • Remain accessible

Reentry Education Tool Kit

General Law 6. Having a misdemeanor on your record could prevent you from being: • Accepted into college • Granted a loan • Hired by an employer • Accepted into the military (Some questions may have more than one answer)

General Law 8. Once you have a criminal record, you must list convictions for the rest of your life on: • College applications • Loan applications • Employment applications • Credit card applications (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Drugs & Alcohol 13. A misdemeanor drug charge could prevent you from gaining employment in which of the following career paths? • Pilot • Nurse • A Federal Position • Law Enforcement (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Drugs & Alcohol 15. If you are under 21 and convicted of a DWI, what are the possible consequences? • Lose driving privileges for 1 year • Be able to drive to your job, only • Your car insurance could increase 200% for one year • Your car insurance could increase 400% for three years (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Internet Hacking 25. Internet hacking is a Federal offense. If found guilty of this crime, the consequence(s) could mean: • Not having a career in the military • Never being able to get a loan for a car or home • Having your voting rights revoked • Notifying your employer that you are a convicted felon (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Piracy 27. Which of the following is a Federal crime called piracy? • Downloading pirated music from the Internet • Making copies of DVDs or VHS videotapes and giving to a friend. • Making a copy of a CD you bought for an extra copy to use in your car. • Purchasing a CD and then burning a copy for a friend (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Counterfeiting 28. Counterfeiting is a felony. An example is: • Creating a $20 bill using a scanner and printer • Creating a fake ID and then posing as this individual • Creating tickets to gain access to a concert • Creating fake IDs for friends (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Fraudulent Identification 29. If caught possessing a fake ID while trying to buy cigarettes or alcohol, you could be charged with a misdemeanor and lose your driver license for: • 3 months • 6 months • 12 months • 18 months (Some questions may have more than one answer)

Questions ? Chris Droessler CTE Coordinator NC Community Colleges DroesslerC@NCCommunityColleges.edu Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org/presentations www.ncperkins.org/nceta Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org

NC Comprehensive Strategy

Thanks for listening! Chris Droessler CTE Coordinator NC Community Colleges DroesslerC@NCCommunityColleges.edu Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org/presentations www.ncperkins.org/nceta Get the PowerPoint  www.ncperkins.org

Keeping our Youth Out of Trouble