Teenage Criminals

     Our City has a serious teen crime problem,

    …. 
but Public Defender  Howard Finklestein and Representative Perry Thurston think we are being too hard on the young-uns !

                                                           

     Now for total transparency, when I was 15, I was caught outside the school’s teen club drinking a beer (with the Police Chief’s daughter none the less!)

     Let’s just say that Dad and I had a serious talk when he brought me home!

               
                    delinquent Tim

     But let’s fast forward to today and compare yesterday’s teen mischief to the teen criminal  in Fort Lauderdale  today !

 

                        unnamed 16 year- old teen
     ……..   Battery  …7/20/2010
     ……..   Strong Armed Robbery  ….   7/29/10
     ……..   Grand Theft    …..  7/29/10
     …….    Strong Armed Robbery …..   10/25 10
    ……..    Burglary 6/26 11
    …….     Armed Burglary …..  11/29/11
    …….     Sale of Cocaine  …….  6/21/12
    …….     Violation of conditional release ….. 10/5/13
    …….     Sale of Cocaine 10/10/13
                   
( juvenile is out on conditional release)

        
            
         
                            unnamed 16 year-old teen
     …….   Burglary …..   6/14/13
    …….   Burglary Vehicle …. 8/3/13
    …….   Burglary ….. 9/18/13
   ……..    Burglary ….. 9/25/13
   ……..    Vandalism to church ….  11/6/13
   ……..    Beat up his teacher  ….   11/22/13

          No Howard and Perry, we are not being too tough on the young-uns!
 

        

14 Replies to “Teenage Criminals”

  1. First, Tim you are guilty for wearing that shirt. Did you dance to the record, “Disco Duck” wearing that?

    Now seriously, at least Judge Hurley set bail for a thug last week for repeated offenses, including burglary, at $160,000. Some of these teen criminals should be put away. I think we should give them ONE CHANCE. If they “mess up” to bad, throw the book at them!

  2. Not all teenagers have a Dad or Mom who respects them enough to have a “talk” like yours to steer them in the right direction. All the drinking and drugs in the 70’s and 80’s are creating parents with problems too. Jails are big business and big money… We should the spend the millions of dollars on youth programs,sports,education and mental health. If you believe Jails rehabilitate, you are 100% wrong!!!

  3. oI don’t believe that jails “rehabilitate”. I believe in giving someone a chance. They HAVE to want to do what’s “right” in the first place to be rehabilitated. Some just don’t really want to do anything with their lives. I agree that some children have not so good parents. There is however only so much society can do if you don’t want to REALLY address and changer YOURSELF. In the end, no one can do it for you.

  4. Would love to help you out Tim but Perry Thurston is a democrat, he wants little demon seeds like the “angel” posted above revolving thru a very expensive socialization program rather than the criminal justice program,(because there are too many black men in the criminal justice system, then he wants to hire some very expensive affirmative action employees to pat them on the head, tell them their baby daddy’s really do care about them even if they have never layed eyes on them while buying drugs from them on Friday for the week-end. Of course we will have to hire some (very expensive) Government Grant funded witch doctor to write bogus progress reports that tell the city and the GGO what a swell job this program is attaining. Thank a democrat..

  5. way too easy on the young ones and the old criminals too!!!
    too many slaps of the hand, that will come back atcha!

  6. Oh and and that fool Perry Thuston is running for Attorney General for florida?? The world had finally turned upside down and off its axis. God help us. If any of you vote for him? I highly suggest you keep it a secret, this one wont garner any admiration for your intelligence, kinda like Obama’s second term voters..

  7. Where are the parents of these kids committing these serious felonies?(me, never hurt anyone, never robbed old ladies, just fast money selling fake Gucci hand bags to keep my father in the lime -lite-(“sucker boy” huh Bern). The key to ending all this crime w/ are young people is education. These kids should be in school, vocational training etc. We lock them up to making them even bigger criminals. Key again is parents ,instead of keeping up w/ the Jones etc, spend more quality time w/ your children. Me was just the opposite-whatever my father wanted I was there. Being an idiot in the strip joints _I was there. To Bernie getting to smart w/ the mob bosses -who was there. You get it. Funny I was very good to both my dead parents. I should have been in college etc, no hustle , hustle ,hustle. If I went to college like normal kids, I’d be a US Senator by now(yes). Get my point, teach these kids values, honesty, etc, no just keep ignoring them. This is society’s proplem. Until we change this you will keep seeing your crime go up Tim. Isn’t it funny brought both my parents to the “promised land” on my back, to be hated by my parents other children(too bad)..

  8. When did our society get so backwards? Do you remember the days when you brought home bad grades on your report card your parents were all over you! There was no television, no after school activities or you were grounded until your grades improved. You were held responsible. Today a kid gets a bad grade and it is the teacher who gets the consequences until grades are improved.
    A few years ago an older former marine was sitting in a Subway Sandwich shop; when two thugs came into rob it. They forced the marine into the bathroom where they pistol whipped him. When they went back to the task of robbing the place; the brave smart former marine came out and shot one dead and scaring the other thug to flee. That night on the news we got to see the family of the dead thug crying foul as their poor angel was shot dead.
    The system is broken and it has not worked properly for years. I have to agree with Rob Walsh here (SHOCK) that education is the key. When I say education I mean in every subject matter. What about after school sports and activates that will help these kids to find their niche? Keep them busy in mind and body.
    All children need to learn respect; respect for themselves, their family, their neighbors, their community, their country and their world. I believe the first step is to teach a kid to respect themselves and coddling is not a method of doing this. No more making excuses for these thugs. Stop enabling the bad behavior. Stop buying into the poor dear comes from a bad home. Remember the poor little criminal stole someone’s security and violated their space. Let them serve their punishment and then give them a second chance.
    Philadelphia has one of the best Golden Gloves Boxing Association run by the PBA. The Golden Gloves program keeps the kids off the streets and gives them a safe place to grow and learn.
    Parent involvement is also important is raising a good productive citizen. Every school should require each parent to volunteer some time at the school. It could be helping with a class project, reading a story or assisting in the cafeteria during a lunch period. It benefits the child.

    Enabling a kid is a dangerous path as you are just creating the thug. Perry and Howard are busy straightening and polishing halos for these little thugs. Good on Judge Hurley for his attempt at fixing the broken system. If the system is broken it needs to be replaced or fixed.
    Building walls, erecting fences, and installing security systems are only keeping you in. You are creating a fortress to protect yourself in your space. We got to stop living in fear. Perry and Howard do not get to experience the after effects of these juvenile delinquent crimes. Invite them over to your neck of the woods and maybe just maybe they will see the system is broken.

  9. I think your blog post is only highlighting the same issues that Perry is but certainly not making a good case against him. Especially since your post only vaguely says that they think we are being too hard on juvenile offenders without giving any specifics. I’m willing to bet it’s a much more nuanced opinion than what you -somewhat dishonestly- characterized. Clearly, we are not dealing with juvenile offenders in an effective manner. In many ways, we can’t because the problems stem deep into areas that society could never reach and be successful (i.e. the family). “Throwing the book” at these kids is not effective, though, either. Today, Juvenile Tim would have met with far worse consequences than a stern talking to (Juvenile or no, everything is permanent and searchable nowadays – these “unnamed” kids could be found easily if resources are applied like when they are looking for a job) When you don’t have a parent to punish you, like you did, the system steps in to punish you- and the system will toast you. We used to get the wooden spoon, now we get a hamster wheel system that few escape from. If the kid cannot overcome the blight on his record that he got when he was an immature 16 yr old, it leads to a hopeless pathway that is only downhill and harder to correct as time goes on. Hence, we have your unnamed little friends. It’s surprising how little understanding you are displaying. It’s not about being light handed or heavy handed- it’s about finding an effective way to tackle a serious and complicated problem. One immature mistake can lead to a lifetime in the criminal justice system- which not only costs society, but all but guarantees a life that cannot be turned around because the rest of society will not allow re-entrance. The County’s juvenile citation program actually works and, hopefully, more cities will begin to participate -not just in Broward but across the State. Former Sen. Bogdanoff’s right-headed inmate re-entry legislation is back this year and will hopefully pass. Honestly, when you are complaining that a nuanced approach to a broken system is too “soft” – and only offer being “hard” as a solution- you are dangerously oversimplifying. I would have liked to see more humble curiosity about why the system is not working instead of jabs at an intelligent man who has way more experience with the system -through service in the legislature, community involvement, and a law practice- than a former-commissioner-blogger-recently-turned-neighborhood-crime-watcher. I like you and your blog, really, but this post was just lazy and wrong (very unlike you I might add.)

  10. IMHO …thanks for reading the blog and for your comment – but some of your facts are off….

          First, I am anything but a recently turned neighborhood crime watcher. I begin studying community policing in the 1980’s and started the first of three neighborhood associations in areas with tough crime problems in 1984 …. I’ve led over 600 crime walks in our communities, and introduced most of the creative anti-crime legislation that is on the books today in Fort Lauderdale.

          As for Representative Thurston’s legislation, he tries to make it very hard to adjudicate teens as adults, even if they commit up to four felonies. The State Attorney would also have to “prove” that there are no other facilities available for rehabilitation and other onerous particulars…. I think we need to grab a hold of first time juvenile felony offenders and make it nearly impossible for them to re offend! …. So I think you got me wrong, and read more into my post that what was there ….But I hope you keep reading ( and commenting!) !

  11. and the 5 on the ft lldle city comm continue to support the intervention crap for the students that the sbbc has pushed
    you can’t have it both ways – juvie or not –
    tough on crime or put up with crime

Leave a Reply to Dennis Ulmer Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *