MC² Juvenile Delinquency
History
The parent organization to this Juvenile Delinquency emphasis is MC² Technology, Inc. Which began in the Hartford north-end neighborhood right at the turn of the century. Working with a small community Church, located in the middle of a shopping Plaza, a tutoring program was begun in 2001 and continued for 10+ years until the unexpected death of the congregation's Pastor in 2011. It was the first after-school and tutoring program in the area. It was designed to keep kids in school, to limit or totally end dropouts, to reduce truancy, and fight incarceration - a very real possibility with many kids.
This 20+ years of involvement with youth, beginning with fifth graders and ultimately ending with high school age youth, confirmed that education is not taught in a vacuum, but that all the socio-economic needs of the neighborhood come to bear upon the program. Very quickly, the tutoring program became a mini-social service location as well. Meals were provided, regular school supplies were distributed, holiday food baskets for families were gathered, a neighborhood health fair (attended by 10,000) was held, a special two-day conference for girls was developed, tutoring grew into mentoring; For some, the church became a second home, a safe haven.
Partnerships developed - donated computers were received from a local hospital; Special rates were provided for Saturday outings by a local restaurant; trips to museums and historic sites occurred. And the kids developed better GPA's year by year. At its conclusion, 85- 90% of the program's participants were accepted into post high school education; 2 participants developed their own entrepreneurial businesses; Five others continued into postgraduate studies from college and entered the teaching and legal professions.
Mission/ vision/ goals
The 10 plus years of experience proved that opportunities around workforce in youth development or realistic goals for program participants. In partnership with local businesses and community agencies, youth at the crossroads of decision in their lives could grow into very productive members of society with strong feelings of self-worth and personal accomplishment. It was learned that special programs for girls are very important, and therefore not all courses are done in co-ed environments, which is particularly important as issues of juvenile delinquency are tackled head on.
MC², Inc. Is a first step in an ever-enlarging program that will include MC² Academics (curriculum development, tutoring and mentoring), MC² internships (job training, wages, course credits for college students), and MC² philanthropics (a foundation for awarding grants and scholarships).
Goals are both short-term and long-term, including the implementation of a special ongoing program for girls who are truly “at-risk” caused by societal or family circumstances. Over a 4- year period, working in concert with local colleges/universities, businesses, corporations, and individuals, the focus is on raising $1,000,000+ per year to award scholarships and offer programming which leads to post high school education or gainful employment for all participants.
Statistics / Data
Juvenile delinquency has led to legal changes within our states. Even though all states have changed their juvenile justice laws over the past 20+ years, the emphasis of nearly all juvenile justice activity, up to just recently, have been on the punishment of youth rather than prevention/intervention.
Several agencies and organizations, and some governmental branches, are now actively working to change this focus. What is needed are tools, made available to use through our legal system, to deal with “interpersonal conflicts, problem-solving techniques, and peacemaking skills. As a world, we need the ability to express/resolve conflicts and work towards civic improvement.
Youth need basic knowledge re: juvenile crime, causes, offenses, treatment, and risk factors to become good citizens in a free society. In a Yale University study by Cynthia H. Roberts, it is stated that the primary concept of the juvenile court was established to act as a “parent or guardian” to argue for, that our youth should be helped, not always punished. Several organizations have taken up this clarion call and are now working toward processes that will support kids who are “on-the-bubble,” and at the crossroads between being a contributing member of our society or falling into deeper and deeper criminal possibilities. “The juvenile court is a noble motivator charged with protecting and reforming our children when all else has failed.” But it is underfunded and unappreciated.
So, in all states, separate courts, detention facilities, rules, procedures, and laws have been created to protect juveniles, but also to protect public safety.
Some statistics: the typical male begins “crime” at age 14-15 and continues into his mid-20s; Of all boys in urban areas, 30-40% will be arrested before age 18, but the highest category of arrests of any age, (birth-death) being boys in their high teen years.
Those under 18 years of age (both boys and girls) compromise 1/6 of the nation's population but they compromise 1/4 of all individuals arrested and are nearly 1/3 of those arrested for: homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, vehicle theft, and larceny. Clearly, focusing on the punishment of youth has not worked. It is the problem-solving, conflict resolution, and peace-making training (done during the early teen years) which must be used.
Key solutions
Any solution to juvenile crime must include all sectors of society - individuals, families, schools, churches, community groups, businesses, and government. MC² had begun the first “after- school” and Saturday tutoring program in Hartford's north end. It had organized the largest health fair for the families of Hartford's north end. It had provided one of the largest, if not the largest, Thanksgiving food basket distribution in north end history. And now, the focus on a program for girls, specifically, follows an emphasis that was begun several years ago, when a two-day conference for teen girls was held at the Hartford Civic Center and was attended by nearly 800 girls.
Unfortunately, a path to crime often seems to begin at home or due to socio-economic reasons both parents may be working, and single parent homes have increased, thereby leaving much less time to be spent with kids in either instance; the availability of drugs or alcohol is increased; Child abuse and neglect is ever present. Even for kids in school regularly, if failing in the early grades becomes a pattern, delinquency a few years down the line seems almost assured.
The coordinated approach to defeat delinquency, indicated above, involving all sectors of society must be more seriously instituted.
Partnerships
The MC² juvenile delinquency emphasis is designed to work, initially, with girls focusing on life choices and skills. The approach includes partnering with parents/guardians, colleges/universities, possible governmental entities, as well as other organizations and agencies, to make graduation from high school a reality, and to assist each girl to determine a focused career path. MC² will provide a special tutorial program if more focused tutoring is needed.
The program will be expanded in the months and years ahead to include both boys and girls, with some programming being co-educational in nature, while other programming will not. All MC² programs assist the average “C” students, specifically, with the overall goal of improving personal GPA, by a full grade point or more, by the time of high school graduation.
All MC² programs require involvement from parent(s)/guardian(s); interchange with a participant's regular school- public, parochial, or private; week-by-week progress reports (from tutors) and month-to-month (from instructors). We wish to catch any problem(s) early, so that resolution can be made, and participation in the program can continue unabated. On-line courses and assistance are possible to supplement in-person classes and activities.
Contact
For further information, contact: Sam Cephas, Executive Director, MC² Technology, Inc.
MC² Nets at yahoo.com or phone: (860) 212-8164
Thank you for your interest and consideration in the emphasis on juvenile delinquency