Great Comments on previous posts guys... keep them coming!
Yesterday, Rhode Island State Troopers in conjunction with local law enforcement hosted a community “pizza party.” Its aim was to make teens from areas with a history of crime realize that the police can serve as mentors for good instead of simply investigators out to get the bad guys.
While everyone loves pizza, does this sort of event really have any effect on kids? I don’t know. I commend the police for trying to reach out to kids before they begin making poor life decisions; if the police can stop crime before it happens, that makes their job easier and creates an overall safer community.
If not pizza, then what? What helps motivate teenagers to make positive decisions as opposed to negative ones? Lecturing kids does not work, punishing them doesn’t seem to, rewarding them hasn’t worked, scaring them doesn’t have much of an effect… so what?
Look around Pilgrim High School
What do you think?
- X
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/providence/providence-state-and-local-police-reaching-out-to-city-kids?ref=scroller&categoryId=20000&status=true
P.S. And if all else fails, you can always call “This Guy’s Pizza” in Johnston
I really think that children brought up in areas of high crime are affected by thier surroundings. They are taught that stealing is normal, and the cops are out to get them. Without realizing that they are out to get crminals, and being a criminal is a choice. I think that a pizza party is a really great idea, if relationships are formed between the kids and officers, the kids will think twice before betraying such nice people.
ReplyDeleteAs for pilgrim, I think high school is high school, and that stage of rebellion is natural and healthy. But the stealing is getting out of hand. The safety precautions need to be upped, but also lets consider not bringing 400$ into school that day. I feel a certain administrator in our school has taken this kind of pizza party apprach. He is really friendly to students, is putting together an inspirational group of artists with the hopes of creating a more peaceful pilgrim. Like you say all the time, communism workson paper...change for change works in his head.
Everything starts in your childhood. Yesterday i was watching SVU and it was about Sexual Abusers who were abused when they were Children. Children'd minds are like sponges, what they see, and are taught in early life, is what they will see as correct in adulthood. In order for someone to grow up in a "Normal" fashion, good role models, and Structure is needed. And Violette is right.....high School is High School. Even in the 30's and 40's, it was natural for kids to do what they want to do, when they want to do it.
ReplyDelete~Victoria DuBois
I think that it depends on the area a person is brought up in whether or not they become a criminal and become involved in illegal activities. I think if a person is brought up in an area that is surrounded by crime, that person is more apt to become a criminal as well. Kids that are brought up in other areas where crime is a lot less prominent, I think those kids are less likely to become crimals.
ReplyDeleteAs for the pizza party, I think that is a great idea. I think if kids are on a road to becoming a criminal, they need someone in their life to show them that they can make better decisions and straighten their life out. Kids seem to think that the police are just out to get them when really they are there to protect the law and the safety of the citizens. If kids can see that cops are people too, and if they are able to relate to them on a personal level, I think they will think twice before committing some sort of crime.
I think what makes a person make positive or negative decisions depends on the individual person. Personally, I try to model myself after successful people in my life who, for the most part, make positive decisions. When debating whether or not to make a certain decision, I often think of the consequences of that action and I think of what people are going to think. I think it is going to have more negative effects than positive, I will try to avoid doing whatever it was I was thinking of doing. But, for different people, what is right and what is wrong is different, and what makes them make a decision is different.
In Pilgrim, I don't really know what would make the student body act more responsibly. I think the administration has tried many different tactics, and there are still going to be kids that break all the rules. I think there is never going to be something that will make everyone responsible and follow the rules because no matter how hard someone tries, if a person doesn't want to do something or change their attitude, they wont.
Shan-dog
well on the topic of motivating teenagers it is basically a lost cause you have kids that want to just disobey the rules to have people laugh, i think the problem is the good students or some what good ones,we influence the bad to act out so they get attention. So take the bad kids away from the rest of everyone and then what do they have nothing... so basically seperated aep.
ReplyDeleteWell I think that this is a great thing that the police are doing. The teenagers that always get in trouble with the police probably think that they are just butting into their buisness and that they're annoyig. But by having the police serve pizza to the teens that get into trouble, it could show that the police actually care about the teens and just aren't butting into their business. Police care about everyone but in some teens minds they say the police don't.
ReplyDeleteThis event might change the view of the police in teens minds. Everone loves pizza,especially teens, so it is a great food choice to serve at this event. Like if they were serving something like spinach, no teen would want that? So that's why pizza is perfect for this event.
If someone that goes to this event and still committs a crime afterwards, and they get stopped by a police officer it would be really awkward for the teen. Like the man just gave you free pizza and this is what your going to do? It could make teens think twice next time on the things they do.
Personaly I do not think having a pizza party for the kids in the community with police officers is a good idea. The only type of kids that would go to the party are the kind of kids that would not get into trouble in the first place. Kids that break the law are probably not going to show up to a pizza party with a whole bunch of police. It may be nice for the police to be able to talk to some kids in the community but they will not be talking to the rite group of people. The people they really want to talk to will still be out causing trouble and not at the pizza party.
ReplyDeleteAt Pilgrim I do not think that there is much that can be done about trouble makers. The most effective thing would probably be for teacers to give students more respect. Although we often dont deserve it, when we get it we will give the teacher respect back the majority of the time. It is very noticable in classes where the teacher respects their students that the class generay tends to run smoothly. In classes where teachers dont respect their students people act up.
This is interesting and to me kind of unexpected that police would do this...they are supposed to be the bad guys. However, I like others think it is a good idea. They managed to show kids that they are really on our side, protecting us from danger instead of just being out to get us. A lot of kids have the wrong idea about police. I think they should do this kind of thing more often to let kids know they are there to help.
ReplyDeleteIn Pilgrim there are a lot of people who know what the consiquences are for some of their actions but they do things they are'nt supposed to anyways. I don't really know what would make this change seeing as the faculty has tried pretty much everything. Kids are kids and they go through a stage where they are rebelious. I think different assymblies (like the peace week one) can help to raise awerness but the only thing is, how long does this awerness last? I don't really think to much can be done for students at Pilgrim but an idea might be show them the consiquences of some bad crimes and how jail is a place they really don't want to be.
Melissa Abels
pizza had nothing to do with teen and crimes, though most teens do love pizza. I think in order to keep teen or young adults away from crimes there should be a postive vibe around them, both in school and out of school. They should also have a certain goal where they strive to reach. I'm doing my senior project on juvenile delinquecy and theres always factors that lead to crimes. For examples, family problems, media, and community. In order to keep to teen away from crime, they should busy themselves. For example, be involved in after school activites like dance club or basketball club.
ReplyDelete-Saman
Strange this is the post of the day considering what I encountered yesterday. My band was practicing in the band room after school yesterday for a show we're playing tonight, and the Band President brought us pizza! We ended up leaving at around 5:30, with a large amount of the influence from the pizza we had just consumed. For me, any food is an influence to do better, but I don't know about other people. As my favorite food in the existance of mankind, pizza is an even greater influence. How that will effect crime rates in teens and specific age groups is beyond me, but it's worth trying.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea for the police to do this, but I don't think it'll have an effect. With some people, they just can't see enforcement as friends. I think the criminals can change, but that doesn't mean they will. It's unfortunate that people feel that way.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Maxwell
i do agree with most of what has been said, i mean i have no idea if this would work or not but it's worth a shot. i understand that officials have tried to come up with many ways to help kids stay out of trouble. just one pizza party isn’t going to fix things though. they may have to make this a monthly thing. it would be nice if instead of just a pizza party, since maybe some will only be going there for the food, that if maybe they have like a club for teens to go to. almost like the boys & girls club but for older ages, just a little something so they can hang out together on a friday night in a safe environment and still have fun, i don’t know if this will ever happen but it’s just an idea..
ReplyDeletei see what shannon is saying with how some kids are brought up with the idea that cops are bad and that they are out to get you. if kids think this then they are obviously not going to respect them, which only cause more trouble. but if you teach them and show them that they are just normal people trying to keep the peace, maybe they would understand a little more.
you never know if it’ll do any good unless you try it.
I personally dont think it was a bad idea for the cops to try and make teenages feel more confortable around them. Pizza isnt the worst way to do it either.. who doesnt like pizza? I think that since the cops are attempting to act more like mentors to kids, some kids will listen. For the others who always act up.. theres probably nothing you can do until they grow up. I think the kids with the most problems and act up so much in school are the ones who need and want the attention the most. This could probably be because they arent getting enough at home or by their family.
ReplyDelete~Olivia Choquette
im keeping this short but most people learn by example. children tend to be more willing to listen to their peers instead of people that may have taken family from them, since this case was in a strong criminal neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI think that Challenge Days do actually make our school a little more peaceful. If schools in areas that have a lot of teenage crime issues, they should plan group talking sessions like this. Punishments do not always work but if they dig in to why they act the way they do, their communities can be safer. Also, I believe all minors act out of influence by who they live with. Having meetings and discussions with their parents or guardians for them to influence them for the better.
ReplyDeleteI agree that teens act similar to who they look up to and who is influential in their life. However, I do not think that rebelling and breaking rules is natural and healthy. Teens act out because they don’t have a place where they feel they belong or have ownership in their school. School could and should be a place where teens feel comfortable and they belong. Having ownership in your school makes a difference. Being involved makes a difference. No one should go to school afraid and dread being surrounded by people who act out.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that the community is trying to make a difference. Helping out teens who commit crimes may be affective. I think trying to make the teens as students feel as if they belong is better. Will this require a lot of change? Yes. Will students actually have Pilgrim Pride? Yes.
What do you think?
Amanda Rode
This was a very good way to reach out to kids. Not only because of the pizza but the fact that kids won't feel the cops as so much of a threat and more of someone they can trust and talk to. Personally, i think that kids who grow up in crime and that is pretty much all they know, need someone to be there, to show them right from wrong because they clearly have not been shown that. While some kids are willing to change, others will stay the same until something serious happens in their life, to show them what they are doing is wrong...
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. I really think, especially with young students - who are like sponges and can really be impacted - that this can help them. There are some lost causes, yes, but it's worth it to try. And I comdend the police for their efforts.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think, Amanda? :)
I think the pizza party was a good attempt at reaching out to kids but I honestly don't think it will be helpful. People act they way they act because of the way they were raised. These kids have most likely been around crime all their lives and to them, stealing or doing drugs or anything illegal for that matter probably isn't a huge deal for them-- its just a way of life. I don't think a pizza party will change that. While food is a great way to bring people together, I don't think its enough to solve the problem. Most of the time, people reaching out to other people or offereing them help doesn't work. A lot of the time it takes a wake up call, like being arrested to really change them.
ReplyDeleteAs for Pilgrim, I think Peace Week and Challenge Day have been successful. But we still have "trouble makers" which just backs up my opinion that some kids just don't care and need a good wake up call.
I do not believe that what the police are doing have any impact on the youth in the area. Just because the police are having a pizza party, they think that the young are going to look at it, and want to behave? There is no way that would happen.
ReplyDeleteIf you poled 100 students at Pilgrim, you would find that most if not all would see that that had no effect on them whatsoever. I know that this would have zero affect on me. Just because a teenager sees a police force having a pizza party will not change anything.
-Shawn Patrik CLayton esq.
It's very difficult to change a person's attitude and the way that they act. Once they start acting a certain way and conforming to a certain lifestyle, they get used to this way of life and do not accept change easily. While I think that the state troopers did a good thing by hosting this "pizza party", I can not be sure that it will help change people's actions. Hopefully though, this community event will have positively impacted some people.
ReplyDelete