Wednesday, November 28, 2001
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Wednesday, November 28, 2001 |
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Rampant arrests show need for teen center By the time the papers publish this citizen comment, new runoff elections will have determined the future focus of the Peachtree City political direction. Regardless of the qualified people elected, a serious problem continues to run rampant in our county. Fact: Arrests for teens have reached an epidemic proportion with an average of 10 to 15 a week now arrested in Peachtree City and Fayetteville. Fact: Closed movie center, closed teen center, no easy alternatives for young people to gather unharassed. Fact: The vote against purchasing for $2.3 million the Braelinn Church for a center for community activity will prove very costly as property worth far in excess of the price negotiated by our city officials. Fact: Viable alternatives? A return to involvement free of unjustified criticisms. It is nice to see a city have so many parks but when young people (and older people) are arrested after dusk, harassed by police on bike paths simply because they are teens, something is seriously wrong. Many adults used to say it is only the undesirable kids (a quote from the current YMCA staff) who attend rock concerts. Many adults used to say the wrong kind of kids only get arrested. Well, guess what, Peachtree City and Fayetteville, it is your kid. The cheerleaders, the sports star, the average student who is lined up on trial to face indignity, humiliation that far exceeds the crime-punishment mentality. An example, one young Starr's Mill student and four others charged with minor in possession. Seven postponed trials, legal fees in excess of $750 and the verdict: One year probation, one year without ability to drive, 75 hours of community service, $175 fine and court costs. Curfew for one year. Multiply this by 15 kids times $1,000 times 52 weeks and you come up with a staggering actual potential cost of $780,000 to the parents of these young people! How long can we tolerate such abuse? In college towns police realize their young people are their life blood and will have proactive programs to prevent such misdirection and or will have punishment fit the crime. In resort towns judges work with teens to provide work programs to eliminate lengthy sentences or probations that limit their time so severely. I have met with officials of the Fayette youth probation system and will be applying for a grant based on alternatives for kids via entertainment. My hope is to again lease a suitable facility with adequate space in the Peachtree City area to promote concerts, dances and activities suitable to keeping kids off the streets, in parking lots or on the road to bars and clubs in Atlanta. The Citizen, This Day in Peachtree City, and The Atlanta Constitution have supported me many times in the past with publicity articles showcasing the results we achieved at Jitterbuggers Teen Club. We closed this facility one year ago due to building being sold. Today it stands practically empty. I am pleased to announce the rekindling of this effort to help kids out. My company's parent organization recently awarded us with a modest grant to help kick off this initiative and I am determined to again work to reignite an effort. Too many young people have called and written me requesting please bring Jitterbuggers back. And I for one am not ready to see Fayette County become a retirement home with a mass exodus of young people from our area. Congratulations to the newly elected mayor and council staff. Please remember you have kids who will one day be teens. Where will you want them to be? Richard Thompson Peachtree City
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