Juvenile offenders increasing • DYS report indicates half of the delinquents were from Hopwood Junior High School

The Division of Youth Services yesterday reported an alarming increase in the number of juvenile delinquents in the Northern Marianas, with Hopwood Junior High School students topping the list of young offenders.

At least 50 percent or about 54 of the 101 offenses committed by CNMI youths for the month of March alone were reported among Hopwood students; 37 of which were truancy while 17 were for alleged possession of controlled substance.

The alarming truancy cases was reported even as students are regularly being picked up and dropped by school buses between the school and their residence, according to DYS Juvenile Probation Unit Supervisor Sylvio Ada Jr.

He explained that, upon disembarking, some students leave the campus and loiter in parks, beaches and bushes together with other friends and then come back in the afternoon to take the bus back home.

“Sooner or later, kids lose control and resort to petty crimes and eventually to more serious crimes. Truancy is usually the starting point of graver crimes,” said Mr. Ada.

He explained kids belonging to the eleven through 13 age group tend to confront issues with truancy since the age eleven to 13 is usually the average age for junior high students.

This has already been relayed to the Department of Public Safety which has launched a massive inspection of areas that reportedly frequented by truant students during school hours.

Meanwhile, HJHS and the state-run juvenile probation office are working together to map out an effective plan to thwart the increasing number of Hopwood students who involve themselves in various juvenile offenses.

According to the monthly statistic report of DYS-JPU, aside from truancy ad illegal possession of controlled substance incidents, there were 14 theft and burglary cases; 11 curfew violation incidents; three assault and battery, and four arson incidents.

Other cases were minor consuming, contempt of court and illegal possession of tobacco. Of the 101 total intake, 24 were girls and 77 were boys.

The March statistics manifested a giant leap from February’s 24 juvenile-related offenses, wherein seven cases were truancy; four were theft incidents; and two each for curfew violations and liquor consumption.

Based on the statistics report in December 2000, at least 51 juvenile offenses were reported to DYS where liquor consumption, assault and battery, truancy and theft topping the list.

At least 87 cases of burglary, theft, and robbery committed by youth offenders however were reported in 1999. The last quarter of 1998 also recorded some 25 theft, burglary, and robbery cases among juveniles.

Assault and battery by juveniles reached 23 cases last year. While 51 truancy cases were committed in the same year.

Most of these cases were reportedly committed by school students in the junior and high school level.

According to the youth services, adolescents need a peer group that helps them separate further from parents, provides a sense of identity and allows them to experiment with roles, boundaries, and relationships.

Preventive measures to keep children away from gangs, according to DYS, includes exercising genuine parent involvement, getting kids into sports and worthwhile productive activities within the community.

While DYS exists to provide such services, without support from the community and its leaders, problems of such nature will continue to persist. (EGA)