Concern over kids entangled in life of crime

AUTHORITIES and experts are emphasising the need for early interventions with young children in conflict with the law, following mounting reports of children being entangled in the life of crime.

In a recent conviction, 17-yearold Keanu May was sentenced to 68 years in prison for murder, attempted murder, and possession of a handgun and ammunition.

In another case this month, youths of 16 and 18 are suspects in a murder case after a man was lured via Facebook Market Place.

According to the Department of Social Development (DSD), 651 minors were referred to DSD for examinations in 2020/21 for assault with the purpose to inflict serious bodily harm, 431 for common assault, 274 for rape, and 324 for malicious property damage.

Crime expert Chris de Kock said: “We have a problem of juvenile delinquency which can be linked to the socio-economic circumstances and specifically the broken home situation.

“Many of our youths and specifically our male youths grow up in broken homes with no father figure and a lack of discipline.

“The peer group (age group) becomes the absent parent and if the peer group comes from certain circumstances the chances are high that the peer group is involved in crime and that the youth will be sucked in.”

Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen said young people involved in criminal activity were a deep concern and the need to intervene early in the lives of young people was crucial, “to ensure that they too, do not become the next Keanu”.

“It’s more important now than ever before that alternatives are provided for our youth. The ideal is that our youth should be in school, obtaining an education while also participating in sporting and cultural activities.

“Where there is no access to these programmes, or where a community is not safe enough for them to access these programmes, we need to ensure that we create safer environments in order for them to participate.

“The more opportunities that can be created for our youth, the more we will ensure that they think twice about entering a life of crime,” said Allen.

With young people frequently exposed to crime, MEC of Social Development Sharna Fernandez said the impact of daily exposure to violence and trauma at a young age can result in children engaging in and/or becoming victims of violence

“The Western Cape government has prioritised addressing the root causes through interventions by different departments, and with the support of our NPO partners in a whole of government and whole of society approach,” Fernandez said.

“The DSD’s early interventions with young children and youth, which includes therapeutic programmes and violence prevention interventions, are essential in breaking intergenerational cycles of violence. Effective parenting skills training also forms an important part of violence prevention. The objective is to educate children and their parents on measures to promote healthy, resilient families and to break the cycle of crime and violence.”