IF we as teachers, adults or parents do not see to the upbringing of our children, who can and will? As a children’s court adviser, I have often asked this question.
I have always pointed out that it is parental care, supervision, love and understanding that will stop juvenile crimes. And today, besides errant children, we also have errant parents.
Student crimes made up 0.12% of the crime index. Teenagers who were no longer schooling contributed another 1.6%, or 2,665 cases, to the crime index. It is time we worked with the school authorities to stop crime among teenagers.
Recently, in my duties at court, I had to deal with six children, ranging from 11 years to 14, for allegedly causing a fight with a cangkul. We have children indulging in drugs or selling pirated videos. The Children’s Courts are strict with errant children, but is this an answer to their woes?
We can impose fines on children, meaning we make parents to pay for their children’s mistakes. At a Children’s Court recently, two teenagers were fined RM3,000 each for causing a fight. The Child Act 2001 makes many parents guilty of a child’s crimes. And several sections in the Child Act provide penalties for parents.
Under Section 33, it is an offence to leave a child without reasonable supervision. Such an offence carries a fine of RM5,000 and a jail term not exceeding two years. Section 93 makes it obligatory for parents or a guardian to execute a bond for the child’s good behaviour, with or without security, and other conditions, like accompanying the child to report to the Welfare Department at regular intervals or attend workshops for counselling.
But are all these penalties enough? Some say these errant children should be jailed.
Today, I see our children progressing to serious crimes. And what do we do about errant parents? Can they prepare their young for life?
Bulbir Singh
Seremban
