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LATEST LETTERS

Youth

Sunday, July 1 at 2:00 PM

Meghan Taylor of Littleton writes:

When I read the “Skateboarding Day” article, paired with a picture of a 15 year old boy handcuffed on Friday, I was appalled. It seems to me that our society has made it a habit of taking teachable moments with youth and turning them into an opportunity for us as adults to control and repress an age group already lacking in power, direction and decision making capabilities. Did you know that the latest statistics show that the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 23, and the last area to develop is decision making capabilities? So if we know we are dealing with a population not fully capable of making decisions, looking for creative outlet, and struggling for independence and power, why are we automatically looking for the worst intentions in them and not giving alternatives to an inappropriate choice, redirection, or even at the very least taking a strength based approach to the situation and looking for some positive characteristics and not assuming everyone on the streets is a criminal? Are we really that cynical towards youth that we can’t see the good in them? Have we even given them a chance to show us the positive influence they are truly capable of? What are we teaching youth about law enforcement officials? What are we teaching them at all? I think the bottom line is we are missing out on teachable moments.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

So Meghan, how long before your brain is fully developed?

Posted by Philip on July 2, 2007 03:43 PM