A6 - Sunday, February 20, 1983 - North Shore News

BES editorial page
YOUNGSTERS IN TROUBLE - PART 3

Kids need adult role models

BY JUDITH McINTOSH

f... a professional counsellor who acts as a consultant to the
West Vancouver Family Court Committee. In the two

Borrowing myth

Can government spend its way out of the
depression by going ever deeper into the
red? Yes, say the B.C. New Democrats
who would borrow $500 million tomorrow

for “job creation” programs and worry later
about how to repay it.

The Socreds — forced at last to abandon
their sacred creed of a balanced budget —
recoil with horror from sinking still further
into the glue. They resolutely pin their
faith to government spending
cutis, despite the risk that these could push
B.C.’s 16% jobless rate marginally higher
for a time.

Superficially, the NDP approach appears

the more humane. But unfortunately, it's
riddled with fallacies. Firstly, because huge
government drive up interest
rates (and, with them, inflation), thus
discouraging expansion by he private

sector. Secondly, because government
make-work schemes — filtered through a
costly, cumbersome bureaucracy — do

nothing to stimulate demand for goods and
services, the ultimate key to economic
recovery. Such schemes in the past have

barely scratched the surface of the
unemployment problem.
Meanwhile, the bill for government

borrowing is paid for by the taxpayers —
generations of them to come as the bill
soars. _

In the end, only WE can spend ourselves
out of the depression -by_ being .
encouraged, in an atmosphere of
confidence, to buy the things we need and
want rather than by pouring more dollars
into the tax man’s coffers. Paying for
government to go further into hock is no
way to breed that vital confidence..,

Product switch?

News that the Russians have developed an
effective anti-hooze drug must have the
marketing boys at the Liquor Control Board
— cash-strapped Victoria's biggest profit
maker — scratching their heads. Taken five
times dafly for a month, the drug removes
the craving for alcohol. Now, if only the LCB
could corner the stuff and sell it at the same
price as the real thing . . .!

"”_TWi_YGtOT OF MONI HAND WEEE VANCOUVER

sunday
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TRIO LN ALIOIN 84 643 Wednesday %4 003 Sunday

THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE

preceding articles she

examined minor

juvenile

delinquencies — frequently “diverted” from the court back
to the family — and the more serious juvenile offences in-
volving penatties and probation.)

ON

THE NORTH SHORE there is a hi

diversion rate which means that more than half of
kids who commit a delinquency do not attend
Juvenile Court. Why is this?

First of all because of the
underlying conviction and
philosophy that the family is

for their own children. “We
divert kids back to the
family.” said one North
Shore Probation Officer.

Secondly, and perhaps
more importantly, is the fact
that juvenile offenders are
not criminals. For most of
them it is a one-time of-
fence. A very tiny per cent
go on to commit adult
crimes. Often they need
money. Typically, 15 and 16-
year-olds are the last to be
hired and so, high unem-
ployment in B.C. exacer-
bates the problem for
juveniles. Often they're
dared; for some, it is an
attention-getting mechanism
when all other means have
failed.

Sexual offencés in youth
are almost always committed
for this reason. (The other
primary reason for sexual
offences committed by
youth its that they themselves
have been the victim of a

BROTHER'S
Dense traffic utong Marine
Drive, a caring motorist and
police efficiency combined

KEEPER:

to save a life the other
Wednesday evening, when

Frank Van Gaalén Of North

Van was driving along
Marine to West Van. Bet-
ween Capilano Road and the
Lions Gate cloverleaf the
traffic was so heavy that he

couldn't) switch lanes and
had to head on over the
bridge .- which was okay

with Frank, since he was in
no real hurry and cnjyoyed a
drive through the park

On the bridge he noticed a

man in an overcoat
Staggering and weaving
crratically towards = the

As he

the
causeway he couldn’ get the
tellows strange behavior off
his mand

centre of the span

continued down

Noteing a phone

booth pus past (he motor
vehicle offfee on Georgia he
parked dialed the polite
und told them about the

man

As Frank returned to his
truck a rescuc van and two
poloe cam, lights flashing,

sped past ob (Georgta
bridge At the
entranec¢ the
centre fane light was Hashing
ted Arriving at the span he

tovvered

towards the

Cnuseway

doren
West

polo cars the

nearly “
Vancouver and
Niapecouses

Phar booue Polree bicat

sexual offence and,
depending on the age, will
emulate the behavior or rage

—-out—against—it.})—These—of-

posure, and caused by kids
who are having horrendous
family problems, alcoholic
or violent or abusive
parents, divorcing families
with bickering and  bit-
terness, or feeling isolated in
his world alone and unable

punitive and say “throw the
little so and so in the can.’
The other end may be the
i view which says
that “children will be
children” and, at least until
they are 17, should be
exonerated from all

to cope or ask for “help” in
any other way.

These youngsters are
always treatable, given some
minimal family co-operation
and this enables them to

obtain — individual
psychological counselling or
family therapy.

The question of diversion

fences are almost always of
one variety, indecent ex-

c
as
vA
¢
4

WEATH ER

+s :
one end of the argument are
those who would be wholly

“Your answers are vague, indecisive, hedging and

evasive ... you're hired!”

sunday brunch

by Noel Wright

stationed below in the
Narrows, and the staggering
pedestrian safely surrounded
by polhce officers The man
was smoking a. cigarette
when they found him and
old them he was intending
to jump when he'd finished
it.

I wonder how many other
passing drivers also noticed
the man bul dismisssed him
from their minds as “none of
my business” It's good there
are still a few Frank Van
Gaalon’s around .

North Van Centennial
Theatre hits the TV bigtime
Wednesday (Feb. 23) with
the taping there of a CBC
special, “Super Vancty”. an
Rd Sullivan-type ex
travaganza hosted by
comedian David Steinberg
The guest hist includes Jeff
Hyslop, Trooper, Jane
Mortifee, Shari Ulrich,
Almeta Speaks, Paul Horn,
Rath Nichol, Rene and
Natalie Simard, Al Simmons
and Valri Bromfield
together with North Van
child prodigies Corey
Katja Cerovsck Producer ts
West Vans Cathy Chileo
Pick up free taokets at North
Van Ree Centre

and

Happy (O0OCh birthday ches
iheb JV ter that
Old Man of North
Walter Drraveott

Thratnchay
(yteand
Nan

who'll be receiving honors
from all levels of govern-
ment (and from Channel 10
ma 45-minute TV special)

for ms contributions to
preserving the history of
orth Van. of which he's

been part since 1910

Last weekend she gave the
Variety Club Telethon
$50,000 somewhat down
from her $250,000) cheque
the previous year. But the
donation from West Van's
92-year-old Agnes Watts was
still the largest gift from any
tndiviudual.
ROUND AND ABOUT:
North Shore residents
carned off a gencrous bagful
of honors at the recent
annual mecting of the Assn
of Professional Enpincers of

BC) to wit W.P. Harland
(Professtonal Service
Award) 3.P. Duncan and

Jasper Mardon (Meritonous

Achievement Awards), and
K.G. Farqaharson (Com
munity Service Award)

typo gremitns turnca BM
McGown tnto “Ingh school

boss in tast Sunday s
column and some North Van
school trustees nol

Ball should have
described as

school boss”

wetc
amuscd
been rue
of course

Cousins Elaine Kennedy and
Diana Halley

recent

display thes
weve |

Van

gretarts
North

water

Lobors al Casas

responsibility .

In my view neither one is
appropriate. Kids need to
experience the logical
comsequences of their
delinquent act. They do
néed to learn responsibility.
Most of all though kids need
a meaningful relationsship
with an adult. (I've never

en a gO y “ba
who had a pretty good
relationship with at least one
reasonable adult.)

Adults can provide strong
role models and kids need
role models. That is the main
benefit of diversion. The fact
that -the . -efficer
and crown counsel have
enough faith in the kid to
say, “I trust you enough to
show up at Cates Park, for
exampie, for the next eight
weeks and rake leaves, or
wash windows at St.
Christopher's Church or
wash buses at the municipal
yard, often indicates to a kid
who is really not so

---delinquent as-depressed or

learning disabled or upset

over an im

pending—diverce
in his family, that because of
one misdemeanor he is not a
social write-off. Clearly he is
not.
Finally, my own ex-
perience as a counsellor is
CONTINUED ON PAGE A7

Centre, starting Wednesday,
March 9 at 7:30 p.m. and
thereafter for five weeks —
the prize-winning pair have
works in public and private
collections on three con-
tinents .. . Still on the art
beat, Sam Black of Bowen
Island has received = the
Members’ honor Award at
the 1983 exhibition of the
Canadian Socioety of Painters
“Me and my Spanish straw
hat” . Hear ye, North Van
Seymour MLA Jack Davis
has a new constituency
office at 389 Lynn Avenue,
North Van, V7} 2C4 (phone
988 7212) Apologies to
retiring Parks Dept. clerk
Eric Mair whose name was
missing among the honorees
at the recent North Van
Distnct municipal awards
banquct — a keen musician,
Enc was a pupil of the tate

Arthur Delamont and played
under Dal Richards in the
B.C. Lions Band... Which

reminds us of the Spring
Pops Concert by the North
Van Youth Band neat
Sunday (Feb 27) a8 pm tn
the Centenmal Theatre, with

Licutenant-Governor Heary
Bell-Irving and =o his wilc
expected ino the audience
And don't forget the
Red Cross blood donor
Clinies al Lions Crate
Hospital tomorrow (Man
day Bebo dt) Wow am to A
pm and Pucsday (heb 22)
tok pm
WRIGHT OR WRONG,
Peeling young gets to be

suctoa habit that is hard t.-
proaart wath