Hope for Children

The follow up to the story I wrote about the tragic shooting Oxnard earlier this month is that they are indeed going to try the young man (just barely 14) as an adult. There are myriad reasons that this is WRONG, but I don't want to think about it right now. I am full of despair over this case, not unlike so many other tragedies, but this one was just too close to home.

So, when in my catch up of newspaper reading, I came across this story. I breathed deeply, felt a little of the weight of the world lifting, and dared to hope.

I encourage you to read the whole story, but here's a snippit:

Within weeks, the situation improved as Mr. Lee provided intensive counseling to the family, with the aim of defusing what had become an increasingly angry relationship between Jacob and his mother. Instead of screaming at Jacob when he refused to comply with her curfew, Ms. Rivera called Mr. Lee. Over time, Mr. Lee persuaded her to agree to be less strict if her son would agree to be more forthcoming about his whereabouts, and more responsible.

Soon Jacob started meeting curfew and began passing his court-ordered drug tests and staying in school. If he continues on this course, he will end his probation in July, Mr. Lee said.

By the standards of juvenile justice, Jacob is a resounding success. And he is not alone. The city said that in the year since the program began, fewer than 35 percent of the 275 youths who have been through it have been rearrested or violated probation.