RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FACT SHEETS

SCHOOL STUDY

YOUTH STRATEGY

YOUTH & SENIORS

SSHRC  GRANTS

INTERGENERATIONAL
RESOURCES

CONTACT US

LINKS
 

RETURN TO FRONT PAGE

STU HOME

The following selection is taken from the report which outlines a youth perspective on strategies to enhance police- youth relations.  The comments are in response to the question, "What advice would you offer the police to help improve police-youth relations and help reduce the incidence of youth related crime?" 

Police appear very threatening to other people, imagine how they make children feel when they approach them.  I think that just by setting up a relationship (a good one) then maybe the youths would not want to deceive the relationship that the police and youth have. 

I would suggest more one on one programs and alyhough it may be unrelistic it would be a good idea for the police to first sit down in a classroom / gym/ church group / local hangout and even if the efforts is not two-sided, let the kids know that you are not only there to catch them when they make mistakes but also when they need help. 

Hire a team of young people (19+) who wish to become police officers.  Give them a job for the summer in community policing division so that young people on the street can feel more comfortable around the ‘uniform’.  Younger officers may not seem so intimidating and will improve police-youth relations.  This, in turn will reduce the incident of youth related crime. 

Creating more recreational programs to keep youth away from things that help create crime.  Youth like to feel like
they are ‘cool’, they want to ‘fit in’ and be ‘popular’ so many of them commit crimes to ‘fit in’ and be noticed by their
peers.  I know for a fact that youth like to be treated as adults, not kids.  I think that if an adult treats them with
respect, then the youth will give respect back.  Forcing them to do things does not work.  It does the opposite by
making them want to rebel. 

The number one factor for improving police-youth relations and reducing and reducing youth crime is to eliminate youth stereotypes by police and vice-versa of police by youth.  Coming from a smaller town of about thirteen thousand, I remember when we (youths) would all hang around together at the town square, and police would drive-by, and often stop and ask, ‘hey what kind of things are you guys up to,” or “have you guys been drinking, etc..Tonight?”   By just assuming we were up to something wrong, made us think that many police were jerks. Furthermore, we never helped the cause by being rude and obnoxious.  So the main issue is to get the youth to understand where the police are coming from and to get the police to see youth as people just trying not to go insane and not see them as delinquents.  Furthermore, allowing the youth to express themselves such as having graffiti competitions like the one we talked about in class, or having rec centers, tennis, basketball courts, or skate (board) parks are a good way to keep youths out of mischief and create good police-youth relations. 

Never tell a youth ‘No’.  Given them an opportunity to give their sincere opinion on the problem, their reasons for their actions and their own solutions.  Then let them know their choices and reassure them that something will be done
for their needs only with help of the young ones.  This way they will see they made a difference and realize they can do
positive things in their teenage years. 

First of all I think that for the youth there needs to be less fear of the police.  Whatever others say when ever a police
officer came in to the school it stirred up fear in all the students.  They need to be seen as caring, kind people.  Maybe the officers could get down to the kids level.  Especially the big tall guys, who just shout intimidation, make them sit down when talking to kids.  And talking is what they need to do because I think that the last time I remember talking to an officer was in grade 3.  Kids need to know all throughout their life, no matter how old you are, that cops are not out just looking for someone to slap their handcuffs on. 

The advice that I would offer is for police to be more interactive with youth.  Personally the only contact that I’ve had with police has been bad and nerve-racking.  I’m still intimidated when I’m around them because I can’t relate to
them.  I know that you’re involved in a program for crime prevention and ‘Spray no to violence’ and you travel to the
schools.  At least the kids get to see you and realize that you don’t belong to some alien organization. 

Perhaps when the nice weather comes get out of the cars and go talk to kids on the week nights or any opportunity. 
Ask how’s it going and a little bit of small talk so they know that you’re approachable.  That’s the biggest issue...
being able to approach a police officer and tell them what’s on your mind. 

I think what is being done at the high school is great. When I went there I found it to be beneficial getting to know the police.  Perhaps more community events, where the police are involved not only on a policing basis, but get involved;
like students vs. police hockey game or basketball. 

When I was growing up in a small community the RCMP, the younger ones were always around, they would stop and
talk just to talk and be our friends, they understood that there was not much going on in a small place to amuse us. They didn’t overlook underage drinking or anything like that but when we gathered to hang out they didn’t shoo us away.  We respected the RCMP who treated us like people not potential criminals.  If they asked something of us we did what they said. The RCMP who were rude and ignorant did not have our respect, so we purposely annoyed them and made their jobs harder. 

I think Police should be aware of what people have to confront these days, treat young people like people, not
potential criminals and be an actual friend. 

I believe that the police should be going into the educational system at the primary level an onwards.  With frequent
visits to help influence.  I think we sometimes wait until the so-called problem years before we become concerned. 
Perhaps by pro-active approaches in the younger years will have a greater affect down the road. 

Communication would be the first major step.  This is vital in inproving any type of relationship.  Police should go into
schools and talk with the younger kids.  Also they should tell the children some of the consequences for committing
various offences.  The police should also remind children if they have any problems to talk to others who are in authority before reacting in negative ways. 

It is important to not for police-youth relation, may youth fear the police as mean and that they are only around to cause trouble.  Education is important and is needed to show that the police are out to make society healthier and safer; they are not out there to make life miserable.

.. by making more social activities that the youth are interested in.  So they do not have to commit crimes to make
their teen years interesting. 

I think that many youth feel threatened by the police because they feel like the police see them as trouble.  That was
the way it was when I was younger in my hometown.  Cops seemed to stop you or slow right down all the time to see
what you were up to.  It was very annoying and made me angry that they were so suspicious when most of us had
never ben in trouble before.  Some people would then pull pranks, like when they got close to them, they would take off
running so the police thought that they actually had something to stop tem for and the cops would chase them. And of course at Halloween, all the kids in town went nuts.  It was like their chance to get back at them.  I think that if the
town police had more stuff for kids to get involved in, lke the graffiti program your station had it would help them to become closer to the kids.  Or even, I found that when the officers came into talk to us at school about crime and their
duty as police officer, everyone got so into it and there were always a lot of questions to be asked.  So maybe if there
were more sessions where the kids could get to know them in a situation like that they may feel like these officers are
good people and want to take time out to talk to us.  I’m not sure how old you have to be to do this so I’m not sure but
some kids I know have gone on ride-along’s with the police and they loved it.  They gained respect for them seeing
what they do and respected the law too, and I believe, a little more as well. 

Police officers need to work with youth.  Kind of like a hands on basis.  A lot of youth have great ideas but do not feel
comfortable speaking up.  By encouraging and including youth in decisions that matter to them will help them reduce
youth-related crimes.  Examples of this was the skateboard park in our own city.  It has not taken all the skateboarders away from the down town  but it is well used in the warm weather and they do not have a place of their own.  Youth do not want lectures from police officers (actually from any adult) they want to be talked to like adults even when they are being immature.  I think if officers show them this ‘respect’ youths will have more respect not only for police officers but for people in general. 

I would increase the presence of police in the school system.  Increase their visits, so they will be coming more often there to give the annual drug talk and coming to dances to catch underage drinkers.  The more the youth come in
contact with the police the less uneasy and fearful they will become.  Hopefully opening up better line of communication. 
I would also completely redo those ineffective and comical anti-drug ads aimed at young people.  To convince them
that drugs are bad, do not insult their intelligence by offering commercials that they laugh at; and most of the time
increases their desire to take illegal drugs. 
 

From a personal account, I got involved with Crime Prevention, and I found that the police officers were not so
intimidating.  I feel that if the police interacted with students/ youth on a different level (no uniform), then it would be easier.  This could involve volleyball games (sports games) within the schools during occasions; ie. winter carnival -
chaperon at teen dances, w/o uniform. Police rides, especially with the so-called troubled youth... they would see a whole different perspective. 

The advice I would give is to go to all the school from elementary, middle and high school and talk to the students
about youth crimes.  I would also tell them to take a youth criminal that realizes that he/she made a mistake to talk o
the student or someone who was a youth criminal in their past and is an adult now to go talk to students in schools. 

I would have the police go to seminars to learn how to communicate effectively with teenagers; so as not to act so
superior to them.  I would also implement activities for youth to be involved in so thy won’t be on the streets all the time.  It would beneficial to have police officers at these activities (ie. Basketball games, movie nights) so the youth can get to know and play sports with the officers so they can develop respect for each other.  I believe that if a youth knows officers on a semi-personal level they will be more hesitant to commit crimes because they wouldn’t want to jeopardize the relationship or look bad in the officer’s eyes.  In my hometown, I know some of the officers and a lot of the reason I didn’t go and smash things, like my friends was because I didn’t want to be seen as a bad kid in the eyes of those officers that I knew. 

I would suggest that maybe you could have a youth police force.  They could ride around town, have their own bicycles, radios, uniforms, flashlights, pepper spray.  You could also take teens for a ride-along’s with the police to show them what happens on the street.  The youth police force in Pictou County, Nova Scotia seems to work well. 

Talk to the kids more, keep them aware of what is going on in the community. Visit the schools more often, have people that the kids look up to speaking more often at the schools. 

Have information sessions at churches and community centres for parents to try and get their children involved,
whether it be sports, karate, art, group work, etc. to keep them busy.  If there is nothing for a kid to do they will find
something and its usually the wrong thing. 

Youth not involved in criminal activity find it difficult to have friendly relations with police officers because they fear that they are being looked down upon or suspected of deviant behaviour.  I think the police should also acknowledge the good kids and they would realize that their relationship would improve.  Trust is the key.  If they already have the attention of the officers who have authority than maybe their deviant attempts to gain recognition would be unnecessary. 

Stop making youth feel they are to make trouble.  By this I mean, don’t label the trouble makers - although they might
be. Go to their functions get involved in school sports for interests sake of them not to get the inside scoop.  Down
home (Nackawic) the chief of the RCMP got involved in hockey and kids talk to him about problems and were not
scared. 

I really liked your idea of ‘Spray no to Violence’. More projects along this line could be of use.  When you get the
children interested in interacting with you, they will gain more respect for the job that you perform and likely try to stay out of trouble. 

I think that the police should go out more with the youth. Try being friends with these youth. One way the police can make it easier for youth to approach them, is to not always dress in uniform and act so authoritative.  I know when I was a teen when an officer would talk to us even if it was nothing - we could not see past the uniform. 

I would tell the police to set up more places and activities that kids can do.  Thus, this can occupy some of their free
time instead of them being so bored that they decided to vandalize or steal ‘just for fun’ and something to do. I think
this would not only slightly reduce youth related crime but also improve relations between police and youth. 

Make yourself more visible to children in a setting that is less threatening than on a street corner or while on duty.  I know you guys are very busy but perhaps information sessions about what you do (possibility in schools).  Children love to learn about different professions and I believe if they know more about its their relations may be better.  Also, I know I had a basketball coach who was a police officer, and seeing him involved with extracurricular activities in the neighbourhood helped his relations with other children. 

This may be far-fetched however I feel that police-youth relations suffer since youth (junior high school) have a crazy
idea the authority is not cool.  Teachers, parents and police are all included on the not-cool list.  I feel that youth feel that authority limits their freedom instead of expanding it.  I feel that youth need to realize that they may be limited if they feel the need to break a window.  However, much more free in comfort when authority figures are there to protect them not object to them. 

To improve police-youth relations, I would continue holding events that involve the participation of youth under supervision and approval of police, much like what you’ve done with 'spray no to violence’ campaign. 

If events that targeted crimes specifically committed by the youth of Fredericton were held, then relations between youth and police would improve and incidence of youth related crime would go down.  Of course, I would think that it takes a lot of planning to create the ‘spray no to violence’ campaign, so maybe it would move things along if youth helped to volunteer in the creating and planning of these events. 

The majority of young offenders came from troubled homes, maybe their parents had previous criminal charges, maybe the youth came from a troubled or broken home, a foster child not having a proper home/ family environment that every child deserves.  I feel that this is not the child’s fault because they are a product of what they came from.  So I feel that proper education by school workers, police officers, lawyers, psychologists, counsellors should all join together to help educate these children. They should not be attacked or threatened they need to feel safe like they have never felt before.  They need to trust someone to talk to.  Express what they are feeling.  I do not feel that these kids want to harm others because it is something to do it is because they do not know better.  Get these kids off the streets, have more social groups with positive role models like the police, social workers, lawyers. 

For this situation, I would advise for more youth programs (free of charge, so that youth with low finances could attend) where the police could volunteer in teaching youth about crime, have activities, and sports to also ensure it was fun.  They could be taught what to do if in bad situations and how they can get help if needed. 

I don’t think youth and police will ever be great friends but I believe there are cracks in the armour.  Police will always
represent the authority that they must resist and rebuke.  Youth are consistently complaining that they have nothing to
do.  What about police sponsored events (skateboard competitions, jam nights, etc.) I know this may not be possible but it may help in youth seeing police as allies, not enemies. 

Talk to the kids more often and get involved in youth activities like playing ball in the summer and organizing trips with the children so that they know that the police in their region are concerned about their well-being. 

I think that getting youth involved in crime prevention methods and getting their input can go a long way.  If they feel a part of something collective, like working towards safer communities, they will more likely to abide by rules that they
helped establish. Out reach programs could also do a lot = stop criminality before it begins. 

I would say, maybe if there was a place that the kids could go once or twice a month a month to play games, interact
with others and listen to the police talk about problems in the community and hear what happens to youth who are on the wrong side of the law.  Maybe take potential law breakers for a weekend to a spot where the police could simulate a youth prison environment and show the kids first hand on what it would be like.  Organized trips to the jail might show them what they might or could happen if they don’t smarten up. Guest speakers from someone who knows an ex-young offender. 

I would suggest that the police get more involved in what
young people are doing, especially in high school.  Not
because should be seen as our friends but because young people need to know that they can’t get away with things like, sexual assault against their girlfriends, driving home drunk from a high school dance or things like shoplifting and vandalism.  Kids get away with stuff because they can.  The occasional drive by a loud party doesn’t have to turn into a drug bust, it should however warrant a police car driving by later in the night to make sure things haven’t gotten out of hand and a the house isn’t wrecked or people weren’t killed in a car accident or a fight. 

I deal with a lot of where I work at the Oromocto Teen Centre.  The majority of our kids that come in are a little on
the rebellious side.  Some have been in juvenile jails and most of them do not come from a good home.  So, the teen
centre is one example of something that is very good to get the kids off the streets committing crimes and into a 
supervised building where they have a lot of activities to do such as pool, playing cards, ping pong, etc.  This has helped some of them realize that it can be fun without having to commit crime. 

My advice to help improve police-youth relations would be to somehow find a way to get rid of the stereotype that cops are always picking young people because there out later, and in the certain areas, even though they’re not doing anything wrong and they have every right to be in that place. 

I feel that different ideas such as the ‘Spray no to Violence’ campaign is great for kids to appreciate things in a different way.  Group activities are usually good so kids can get together and do positive things. A lot of youth have problems fitting in or at home so a group for these teens to do positive things would be a good idea.  It may take a while for them to get used to it, but if they open up about their feelings they may not be so negative. 

I worked for the police all summer in Saint John and they are working hard on starting some sort of community policing system but I do not believe they are going about it the right way.  I think that the officers have to be out in the community more, walking and talking to the people, playing with the kids, less time in the cars and in the stations. 

I remember in elementary school, when the police used to come give presentations or demonstrations, all the kids would love it!  If the children are taught that from an early age that the police are nice people who are there to help them, I think it would help a lot. 

As for youth related crime, I believe cities and towns need to stop ignoring their youth and expecting them to entertain
themselves, and start opening more safe, supervised areas for teens to hang out.  More drug education, and stricter
sentences may help the drug problem.  I believe the parents have a lot to do with it as well. Perhaps there should be more parenting courses or resources for parents of troubled teens. 

The police can only get stronger ties with youth by
community activities that show the police in a way of caring and not just fighting crime in their communities.  The police go to the schools and reach out to the community which I still remember from junior high.  Therefore, the more the police are seen in the community as friendly officers, the better the relations with the youth. 

I think one way to improve police-youth relations is to make the police more available to the youth.  Greater presence
in schools from elementary right up to the high schools.  This would help make education easier and help stronger
relationships between the officers and the youth.  Police officers who make themselves available for community service would probably go along way in police-youth relations as well. 

At home, I am a volunteer with Island Alternative Measures. Briefly, it is an alternative for youth 12-17 to going through the formal court process, upon the selection through criteria.  There is still a hearing involved but instead of judges there are mediators.  The victim, the youth in conflict with the law and a parent must attend; and the arresting police officer is invited but only on the rare occasion does the officer attend.  However, when they attend there is a more informal rapport established between the youth and the officer.  I think what happens is that with the officer being more relative to the youth, the youth begins to feel less intimidated by the officer, we often leave the hearing feeling and often, in many cases, the youth did not re-offend.  Therefore, I think when a police officer arrests a youth, he/she should establish and informal rapport (talk about hockey, teachers at school, etc.) with the youth making he/she feel more comfortable and more of a bonding experience with the officer - it may make the youth feel like the officer is their friend and will not betray him, by breaking the law.