4 Troubled Teens Blog

A juvenile probation officer who says she was "troublemaker" in her younger days has been honored for her efforts to help troubled teens lead more productive and satisfying lives.

Andrea Thompson's story was featured in a March 24 honoluluadvertiser.com article by Joan Conrow:

"I tell my kids, I actually know more than they think," Thompson said. "When I was in high school, I was one troublemaker. I was a huge troublemaker. The difference is I never got arrested. I tell them that even if they're in trouble now, it doesn't always have to be like this. It all comes down to choice."

Thompson, who recently won the "Spirit of the Judiciary Award" for her outstanding job performance, does more than serve as a good role model. She also tries to get the 100 or so juveniles assigned to her back on the right track.

"I can't protect everyone or help everyone, but you have to try and do the best job possible," she said. "It's kind of a thankless job, but for me, it's rewarding, because I know with some kids, I've made a difference."

Labels: juvenile crime, probation, laws

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 1 Comment

A new set of state and federal laws might improve the speed at which police departments file missing persons reports on runaway children.

The laws might help correct a problem in that police departments are failing to file missing person reports on 10 to 40 percent of runaway children within the first 24 hours of receiving notice that a child is missing.

• The reasons for delay can be complex.
  
• Youth shelters, for example, often want more time than just one day to gain the trust of a runaway child.
  
• Some children come from abusive homes, and it may not be in their best interest to go back to their parents.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney said the reporting failures, which average 16 percent nationwide, are "absolutely outrageous."

"It's absolutely inappropriate that many runaway children are missing not only from their homes but also from the very databases meant to help law enforcement find them," she said.

Rep. John Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee is sponsoring the new bill in Congress.

Labels: laws, teens, runaways

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Nearly two dozen cities in Minnesota have law about "social hosting." These laws hold adults accountable for providing alcohol to underage drinkers. But another Minnesota city may soon have a more serious regulation on the books.

Chaska was the first area city to pass such a law, in 2007. Adults there who host gatherings and "know or reasonably should know" that minors are drinking can be arrested.

But Minnetonka would prosecute adults who host gatherings where conditions are "ripe" for underage drinking but don't take steps to stop it." (Source: The Star-Tribune)

The challenge with the ordinance in Chaska, and others like it, is that the adult has to know an underage person could or would consume alcohol. The Minnetonka law removes that challenge, making adults easier to prosecute when they're complicit in allowing a situation to develop in which underage drinking is likely.

Though some parents mistakenly believe that alcohol is a relatively harmless substance, the truth is that teen drinking is a dangerous activity that puts young people at increased risk for a wide range of problems.

Labels: parental_involvement, laws, teenagers, alcohol_abuse

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A group of soon-to-be lawyers from Rutgers-Camden University have begun offering free legal counsel to local teens. Many of the Rutgers law students visit schools and juvenile detention facilities, educating teens about legal issues like immigration and employment laws.

"[Eve] Klothen [Dean of Pro Bono Programs at Rutgers-Camden] said although the program reaches out to teens from all over South Jersey, its main focus is Camden. 'This is our community,' Klothen said. 'Because it's such a poverty-stricken area, there are probably more misconceptions about the law here.'"

To date, Rutgers students have given 26 presentations in various schools and institutions. Read more at CourierPostOnline.com.

Worried about teen alcohol drug abuse? Learn to recognize the warning signs about teenage drug addiction at Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com.

Labels: laws, community, legal_advice

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments