Hopwood: a juvenile delinquency ‘hot spot’

The Division of Youth Services is keeping a close watch on the mounting juvenile delinquency cases at Hopwood Junior High School, particularly those involving students under probation.

According DYS Juvenile Correction Unit/Probation Supervisor Sylvio S. Ada, Jr., since the beginning of the school year the agency has put extra efforts to monitor these students in light of the surge in juvenile-related offenses at the junior high school.

In the past two months alone, the probation unit has conducted no less than six intervention sessions per week, Mr. Ada said.

Several Hopwood students have been apprehended for offenses ranging from truancy, assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and illegal possession of harmful weapons.

A former Hopwood student himself, Mr. Ada
expressed disappointment over what’s happening at the lone public junior high school on Saipan.

He said that during his time, the situation was not as bad as compared to what is currently happening at the campus.

Barely a month ago, a misbehaving student had a teacher arrested for alleged assault and battery which was later cleared by the Atty. General’s office.

Just last week, a Hopwood student was reported for throwing a pair of scissors at a fellow student.

Citing his recent school visit, Mr. Ada said he witnessed students loitering around the campus during school hours.

“I often wonder, do these kids go to class at all?,” he said.

Mr. Ada said the problems plaguing Hopwood was largely due to overcrowding, a situation that is “a little too much to handle” for administrators of the junior high school.

In the next school year, 676 more students are likely to enter the public junior high, according to Public School System statistics.

Problems associated with overpopulation in the school will persist unless the new proposed junior high school is erected, PSS officials earlier said.

PSS is expecting a three percent student population growth at HJHS in SY 2000-2001, or 1,236.

The 10-year growth projection for Hopwood is 1,613 by SY 2009-2010.

With the two public junior high schools on the island, a total of 1,800 students combined can be conveniently accommodated. The new junior high school in Kagman is eyed to accommodate at least 600 students.

At the end of the fiscal year, DYS expects to record more mischief cases from last year’s figures. (MM)