Dealing with Specific Problems

• Gangs
• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Graffiti Vandalism
• Curfew Violations
• Daytime Loitering and Truancy
• Unsafe Driving
• Gun Violence
• Shoplifting
• Juvenile Victimization
• Media Violence

Notwithstanding parents best efforts, children can be influenced adversely by peer pressures and pick up bad behavior outside the home. Parents must learn to recognize signs that indicate their child may be involved in gangs, drug and alcohol abuse, graffiti vandalism, and other problems, and deal with them as early as possible. They must also make sure their children abide by the curfew law, attend school, drive safely, stay away from guns, etc. Information about various actions parents can take to prevent juvenile delinquency, violence, and victimization, and other related subjects can be obtained by calling the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice at (800) 638-8736. Parents who cannot deal with their children's behavior on their own can get help from many agencies, several of which are mentioned in this section, and from the Juvenile Services Team at their local SDPD Area Station.

Gangs

Gang activities constitute not only a serious problem in the community but a great danger to your child. Children who are gang members will become criminals or likely victims of gang violence. If you see signs that your child is becoming involved with gangs, you need to act immediately to deal with the problem and get help if necessary.

The warning signs of gang involvement include the following: lack of interest in school, fights, changes in hairstyle and dress, changes in friends, tattoos, nicknames, graffiti on clothing and personal items, changes in personality, staying out late at night, hanging out with known gang members and in known gang areas, possession of more money, etc. Additional information on gang awareness is available at your local SDPD Storefront or Satellite Office. Presentations to groups of parents can be arranged by calling the SDPD Gang Unit at (619) 531-2847.

Parents whose children show signs of gang involvement and other problems need to take firm control of the situation. They need to reassert their involvement and control over their children's activities, dress, friends, and finances. Help is available from many community organizations. Some of those that offer counseling and diversion programs are listed below.

A Gang Prevention Resource Line now exists on the Internet to promote parental awareness of the early signs of gang involvement. It also lists agencies to contact for additional information and early intervention.

For additional information, visit the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention Web page.

Drugs

Parents can provide the best protection children have against drug abuse. However, peer pressures and other outside influences can often undermine your best parenting efforts. Indications that your child may be involved with drugs include the following: a don't-care attitude, resistance to discipline, temper flare-ups, new associations, poor school work, truancy, lack of stamina, isolation, poor personal appearance and hygiene, and need of money or unexplained affluence. Parents should get a copy of A Parent's Guide to Drug Abuse and Growing Up Drug Free: Parent's Guide to Prevention at any SDPD Storefront or Satellite Office for more information on recognizing possible drug use. These guides also suggest steps for parents to take in preventing drug use, intervening if drug use is suspected or discovered, and helping the SDPD deal with drug activities in the community. As they emphasize, the role of parents in prevention and intervention is critical in suppressing drug abuse. Additional information can be obtained on the Internet website of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Project KNOW is another Internet activity created by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Partnership for a Drug-Free American to tell the truth about drugs from the perspective of kids, parents, and experts. Its website is designed to educate and enable America's youth to reject drugs.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the number one drug of choice for teenagers. It loosens inhibitions and leads to bad judgments that can result in car accidents, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, vandalism, and other crimes. Moreover, alcohol-related car crashes are the number one killer of teenagers in the United States. Parents need to teach their children about the effects, dangers, and possible consequences of drinking, and should try to discourage drinking altogether. Parents who use alcohol should set a good example by drinking in moderation and never driving when impaired. You can get help in dealing with a child who has or may be developing an alcohol problem by calling San Diego Youth and Community Services at (619) 521-2250.

Graffiti Vandalism

Parents and guardians need to discuss with their children the importance of respect for property and the effects graffiti has on the victim, vandal, and the vandal's family. The City's Municipal Code now makes parents and guardians civilly liable for up to $25,000 of property damage caused by their minor children. They must also reimburse the city for any reward that is paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of their minor child for graffiti crimes. Furthermore, the State Penal Code makes a parent liable for any fine that his or her minor child is unable to pay. The amount of the fines depends on the amount of the damage; the maximum fine is $50,000. Thus, parents have a strong incentive to make sure their children are not graffiti taggers. The signs of a graffiti tagger include: tags on clothes or other personal possessions; use of tagger jargon; frequent use of baggy jackets and small backpacks that can hide spray cans; paint or dye on hands and under fingernails; and used graffiti devices. If you think that your child might be involved with graffiti, call the Graffiti Control Hotline at (619) 525-8522 for further information and organizations to call for assistance.

Curfew Violations

Parents should know the activities and whereabouts of their minor children (under 18 years old) and make sure that they are home during curfew hours, which is the period from 10:00 p.m. any evening of the week until 6:00 a.m. the following day. Minors can be cited for curfew violations under Sec. 58.0102 of the San Diego Municipal Code, which includes nine defenses to prosecution. Parents and guardians can be cited if they permit a minor under their care and custody to violate the curfew. The City Code was amended in June 1997 because the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the prior 1947 ordinance was unconstitutionally vague and did not including exceptions to allow minors to engage in constitutionally protected activities or parents to exercise discretion in raising their children.

Daytime Loitering and Truancy

Parents must make sure that their children are attending school during school hours. It is unlawful for any juvenile who is subject to compulsory education to loiter in any public or unsupervised place, or on the premises of any establishment between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on any day when school is in session for the juvenile. It is also unlawful for the parent of any juvenile to knowingly permit or by insufficient control to allow the juvenile to violate this daytime loitering and truancy law. Parents will be warned the first time the juvenile is cited. Parents may be cited for an infraction if the juvenile is cited a second time, and a misdemeanor if the juvenile is cited a third time.

Unsafe Driving

Because driving involves great risks of personal injury and property damage children and others, parents need to do the following:

• Teach their children to drive safely and stress defensive driving.
• Make sure that their children stay out of cars that others might drive in an unsafe manner.
• Set good examples by following all traffic laws and safety rules.
• Set conditions and rules for using family cars.
• Stress that driving and drinking don't mix.
• Teach vehicle mechanics and what to do in case of an accident or emergency.

Parents cannot rely on high school or private driver education for this. Driver education focuses on driving skill. Bad attitudes and dangerous behavior, which lead to many vehicle crashes, remain for parents to handle. Another reason for parents to be concerned about their children's driving is that parents are legally responsible for any injuries and damage that their minor children might cause while driving. Information about driving and traffic safety can be obtained by calling the SDPD Traffic Division's Traffic Safety Office at (858) 495-7822 or (858) 495-7832.

Gun Violence

Gun violence has become a major health issue. In 1998 firearms were the second leading cause of death of young people 10 to 24 years old in the United States. Parents need to teach their children that: (1) guns don't solve problems; (2) guns can kill or cause lifelong disabilities; and (3) there are enormous differences between real life and the fantasy world of television and all of its violence. Furthermore, parents need to exercise complete control over any guns in their home. Those who have guns should keep them unloaded and away from their children. Ammunition should be locked up in a separate place. Children should not be allowed to possess or have access to any guns. Parents can get help from a Community Service Officer at their local SDPD Storefront regarding signs that their children might be involved with guns, where to look for guns that children might hide at home, and what discipline measures would be appropriate. Any guns that are found should be turned in at a SDPD Storefront. Answers to questions about gun safety can be obtained by calling the SDPD Pistol Range at (619) 527-3421.

Information on effective strategies for preventing violence against youth can be obtained by calling Resources for Youth at (415) 332-4024 or viewing its website. This site also contains facts and statistics, and up-to-date information on violence prevention activities in California. Related sites containing information on youth violence, firearms, community organizing, children's issues, government and legislation, etc. are listed in the Pacific Center for Violence Prevention's website at www.pcvp.org. At the national level the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center's website at www.safeyouth.org contains information on hot topics, prevention and intervention programs, publications, and research and statistics on violence committed by and against children and teens. The Center can also be reached by calling (866) 723-3968.

Shoplifting

Shoplifting is not a game or sport -- it is theft. It has serious consequences for both the child and the parent or guardian. If the value of the merchandise taken is less than or equal to $400, the crime is petty theft. The first time it is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine of at least $50 but not more than $1000, or imprisonment in the country jail not exceeding six months, or both. The second time it is punishable as a felony with imprisonment in the country jail or the state prison not exceeding one year. If the value of the merchandise taken is more than $400, the crime is grand theft, which is punishable as a felony the first time. Judges can order parents or guardians to pay these fines for their minor children.

For petty thefts by an unemancipated minor, California Penal Code Sec. 490.5(b) makes parents or legal guardians liable to the merchant for civil damages of not less than $50 nor more than $500, plus costs. In addition, parents or guardians are liable for the full retail value of the things taken if they are not recovered in a merchantable condition. Total damages are limited to $500 for each action brought under this section.

Signs that your child might be shoplifting include: wearing new clothes or jewelry, or possessing items that you know he or she does not have money to buy; finding tags or package wrapping hidden in the trash; wearing baggy clothes or jackets when it is warm; and leaving the house with an empty backpack or large purse. Some of the things a parent or guardian can do to prevent shoplifting include the following: teaching that shoplifting is theft and that it is wrong to steal; telling your child that being in the company of a shoplifter is as bad as stealing, and that all persons involved can be punished; encouraging your child to choose friends carefully; knowing your children's friends; keeping your child busy to minimize unsupervised free time; and perhaps as a last resort, enrolling your child in a shoplifting prevention class. You can get information on this and other classes, workshops, and programs for juveniles and parents by calling the Corrective Behavior Institute at (619) 528-9001.

Juvenile Victimization

Although the overall crime rate is decreasing, juvenile-on-juvenile crime is increasing. Young people are about three times more likely to be victims of violent crimes than adults. Outside of the home, they are most likely to be victimized at the end of the school day. Some safety principles your child should know include the following: develop conflict resolution skills, avoid deserted locations, avoid threatening persons, travel with a friend(s), always let someone know where you are going, walk confidently and be assertive, meet stares eye-to-eye, never appear vulnerable or weak, be familiar with places to go for help. School police can often provide assistance in dealing with this problem.

In the special case of school violence, there is a 24-hour Safe Schools Hotline, (800) 499-1116, that students, teachers, and parents can use to provide anonymous tips to the SDPD about safety concerns and potential problems at their school. Calls will be answered by a police dispatcher who will ensure that the warnings get prompt attention. However, actual school emergencies should still be reported by calling 9-1-1. Students in the San Diego Unified School District can receive cash rewards of up to $1000 for tips or information that solve or prevent campus violence or vandalism to school property. Call Crime Stoppers at (619) 235-TIPS.

Media Violence

Media violence is a health hazard for children. It has been estimated that young people have seen over 200,000 acts of violence by the time they graduate from high school. This exposure may result in aggressive attitudes and behavior, and insensitivity to violence. The following 10 tips from the Minnesota Medical Association are designed to help deal with this problem:

• Don't use the TV as a babysitter.
• Don't make TV the focal point of family activities in the home.
• Offer other enjoyable activities at home.
• Set clear limits on TV viewing and video game playing.
• Select what your children watch.
• Ban unacceptable programs.
• Identify high-quality programs.
• Know what your children are watching.
• Discuss media violence.
• Have a voice in local TV programming.