Parents, friends, and neighbors respond to the morally wrong acts which encourage people in developing the “talent” of being a true criminal. The ways of how people react when they discover that a young person has been involving him/herself in such criminal acts are important because they will determine whether a young person may continue engaging in this act or not. This essay intends to address the case that needs a personal application of criminology.
My 16-year-old boy is a soccer freak who plays soccer for his school team. Ever since my son’s team participated in a big tournament at school, our family had to attend it so that each family member could see how good our son was in order to encourage him as he played the game. All soccer players were going to have their families with them for the game; there was no reason for us not to attend this event, and this would give us plenty of family and neighbors time. On this particular day, we decided to go for a picnic. We carried all the stuff we would need; as we were in a hurry, we would get a perfect spot and rush out of the house not forgetting the dog. We also knew that we had forgotten to pack the dog food and water bowl.
We were lucky enough to find a good spot in which we could have our small family picnic site and for refreshments. We hurried over to the arena so that we could be closer to the field and be in full view. When the game was in motion, I had a little disturbance and had to go see what was happening. The dog was not behaving and what better way to calm a dog than give him some food and a bone. Therefore, I rushed to our bags just to find that there was no dog food but there was always a spare bone in the car. I gave it this bone so that it could calm him but I had to rush home to get some water for my wife. I rushed home quickly and found the door to the house ajar and, as far as I could remember, I was the last to leave the house and there was no way that I could leave the door open like that.
Few cases of burglary have already taken place in the neighborhood, and precautionary mechanisms had to work. Our family was to close the door, and we decided to install an alarm system just to be on the safe side. I was still wondering who could be at the house, I walked to the kitchen because some of the dog food was kept there, and surprisingly, I found Austin, my sons’ friend, frantically searching the kitchen drawers. When he discovered that he was not alone now, he looked startled and quickly recovered his composure to hide the guilty look on his face. I asked him what he was doing in the house, and he hastily replied that he was leaving my son a note. On the counter next to him, I noticed that there was a lock pick and some of my wife’s jewelry. I became suspicious; and what was more important, a slight waft of marijuana caught my nose. I asked him to leave the house immediately, and he obeyed. He took the jewelry and the lock pick without knowing that I had already noticed all these details. I thought about what had just happened, and the first thing that came to my mind was to call the police but then again I thought that my son had to be informed about the incident, and it would be a better start-off point. However, the child could throw the way of evidence if I gave him enough time. Though the boy was my son’s friend, it was important to report this case to the police but not to deal with it alone. My decision was based on the idea that this case would be a good lesson for a child, and he would receive proper punishment that would scare him off from this line of crime.
I call the police immediately, give them detailed information about the accident, and add the fact that the boy smelled of marijuana. I also tell them to follow the kid secretly because I just wanted to inform them about the accident. I leave the house with a self-conscious notion in my mind knowing that the neighborhood is not as safe as we usually think it is. When I reach the school, I cannot wait for the game to end so that I can talk to my son and my family and get detailed information about Austin so that he can feel free to tell me more information that he wants to hide from the police. Once the tournament is over, my family gathers at the picnic table. I decide to speak about the boy with my son. I ask him if the boy is doing drugs, and my son indirectly hints at the fact that the boy is doing drugs. It upsets me because the boy has been hanging out with my son and probably my son could be doing the same. As if reading my thoughts, my son blurts out that he is not in the same clique as Austin who is involved in buying and selling drugs. This detailed information helps me to evaluate the situation and make several decisions. I tell him that I found Austin in the house when I had gone to take the dog food. I retell him the whole accident, and he gets upset about it because he cannot believe that Austin could burglarize. As we are in school, visiting the school counselor would yield more information that would enable me to decide if I give the police a go-ahead. The visit to the school counselor sure does give me information. The school counselor tells me that over the past few terms, Austin participated in several meetings with elder boys who sold and used marijuana. There are several attempts to contact his parents to discuss Austin’s behavior. Within a short period, everyone around believed that the boy had stopped. However, the boy found better places where he could meet with the boys and he is now engaging in a burglary. The counselor informs that he has never found my son hanging out with this group, and if he were then they would call us so that we could keep an eye on the activities that the child engaged in. The counselor also tells me that Austin has several bad grades; in comparison to my son, Tyreke, who gets excellent grades, Austin’s achievements are rather poor.
After the tournament is over, we rush back home and I tell everyone to stay in the car because the police are coming over to look for evidence that the house in which the burglar was for some time. I decide to visit Austin’s parents without tagging Tyreke along after the police arrive and take the necessary stuff that is usually under police jurisdiction while investigating. When I arrive at Austin’s home, the parents cannot believe this terrible news about their son. They were perfectly aware that Austin has been hanging with boys elder than him and that he had been using drugs. The parents admit that they have already talked to him and for some time, it seems as though he had broken the habit. When I tell a true story that I found him alone in the house with a lock pick, they become shocked about the idea that their son could do such a thing. I ask them when their son left home. They answer that there was a tournament at school that day and they left home together in the morning and at around noon, he left saying that he was coming back home to take something that he had forgotten to tag along with him. I tell parents that Austin took my wife’s jewelry, and it would be better to rummage his room so that we could find evidence that he had taken things from the house. I was surprised that despite the fact of being shocked because of their son’s behavior, Austin’s parents quickly started searching Austin’s room to provide me with evidence of the crime. I also say that I had already made a report to the police and any kind of evidence would be useful to the police.
Austin’s parents explain to me that they understand that the investigation of this case should ensure that their son is guilty. However, they want to make sure that they have enough guidance to discourage him from continuing this behavior. On my way home from Austin’s, an idea strikes me about having a neighborhood watch program that would ensure that the youths do not involve themselves in such morally wrong behaviors and acts. I remember one television show that I have been keenly watching some time back. There was a discussion about different watch programs and the ways of how effective they are in several neighborhoods; there were also a number of low incidents of crime after people made use of the program (Shuttleworth, 2008). I also remember a certain theory they explained in order to provide some help with the neighborhood watch programs. The routine activity theory supports this neighborhood watch program because an initiated watch program works in a neighborhood and the neighbors become aware of the possibilities of vandalism and burglary in the area and the presence of prowlers who break into homes and cause big or small damages. The neighbors would therefore be on the lookout, and such activity would reduce the number of targets because most people would be observant of the possibilities of such incidences. The residents may also result in safety measures such as the installation of security systems that can alert them to such dangers. It may greatly reduce the incidences of crimes. The reduction of targets is possible in case people make use of such neighborhood watch programs (Felson, 1994).
When I get home, I decide to spend some time on the Internet to get enough information that I need about the ways of how to implement these neighborhood watch programs and interesting facts about the details which are important. After reading available information about neighborhood watch programs, I realize that this program may be the best means to be used in this neighborhood because it would ensure everybody about the necessity to watch out for any suspicious detail in order to report to the police as soon as possible and inform the youth about dangers and temptation around (Pridemore, 2000).
I make a call at Austin’s home in order to ask his father if he agrees to discuss the idea to introduce this neighborhood watch program in our neighborhood with other people because it is a good move for the neighborhood’s safety and for our children. I call some friends who live in this neighborhood in order to ask them what they think about such a neighborhood watch program. Almost all of them admit that it is a good idea, and when I ask them if they may come to a meeting with police in order to address the issue to everyone. Fortunately, all of them agree. I also call the police and discuss the same issue. They agree to the program and to the meeting because the cases of burglary have become common. As for Austin’s case, the investigation should be done on him in order to represent a kind of lesson for other young people so that they can be counseled to avoid such accidents and think about the outcomes of their actions.
Reference List
Felson, M. (1994). Crime and Everyday Life. Insight and Implications for Society, Thousands Oaks : Pine Forge Press.
Pridemore, W. (2000). Review of When Push Comes to Shove: A Routine Conflict Approach to Violence. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Behavior, 7, 125-128.
Shuttleworth, M. (2008). Survey Research Design. Web.